Direzione

A triangular granite wedge is placed on the ground. It points out to a direction that could either be chosen or random, real or symbolic, and appears as a crude and mysterious signal. When getting closer, one notices that a compass is imbedded in it. Through its presence, the stone becomes a witness of the action of the earth's magnetic field. With this surprising juxtaposition between a stone block and a navigation instrument, the Direzione sculpture invites the viewer to reflect on sense and direction.

This artwork is emblematic of Giovanni Anselmo's artistic practice, which often translates into installations that reveal the potential presence of the invisible in the visible. Keen to manifest the energy of matter, the artist is in line with the Arte Povera Italian movement, which focused on direct contact between the viewer and natural materials.

Held in the Pinault Collection, Giovanni Anselmo's Direzione sculpture was shown for the first time in 2006 at the Where Are We Going? exhibition at Palazzo Grassi, in Venice.