Opening on April 12 at Palazzo San Francesco in Domodossola, Concrete Astrazioni is a new exhibition promoted by Fondazione Paola Angela Ruminelli, in collaboration with the Musei Civici Gian Giacomo Galletti and the City of Domodossola. Featuring 90 works across drawing, painting, ceramics and metal.
Celebrating Nino Di Salvatore
At the heart of the exhibition is a tribute to Nino Di Salvatore (1924–2001), visionary artist and founder of Scuola Politecnica di Design (SPD) in Milan. Born in Pallanza and a central figure in the postwar Italian art scene, Di Salvatore was among the first to explore Concrete Art, joining the MAC movement in 1948. In 1954, he created SPD, the first postgraduate school for design in Italy, shaping generations of designers and redefining the relationship between art, communication, and industrial design. The exhibition showcases 28 of his works alongside archival materials from SPD, illustrating both his creative path and pioneering didactic approach.
Featuring Parnisari and Simionato
The exhibition also highlights the creative legacies of Arrigo Parnisari and Antonio Simionato, artists whose abstract work is rooted in the Ossola territory. Their stories, though less known to the public, are presented through rare and previously unseen pieces, supported by newly developed critical studies.
A journey through postwar abstraction
The exhibition explores the artistic evolution of the three figures in the broader context of Italian and European postwar art. Alongside 28 works by Di Salvatore, visitors will find archive materials from SPD, offering insight into his unique teaching methods and vision of design. Simionato’s graphic and painted works, many from private collections, are accompanied by a newly published biography. Parnisari’s paintings and ceramics trace his growth from early pieces to his Florentine period, revealing a constant exploration of form and material.
Art meets design
A special section explores the bridge between art, research and industrial application, including a clock designed by Di Salvatore, the “Travel Sculpture” by Corraini and Munari, and iconic lamps by Achille Castiglioni, Bruno Munari, and Tobia Scarpa.