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Last Sunday, before enjoying a splendid St.Valentine's Day meal at a restaurant in central Nuoro, Dai Monti
Del Gennargentu, Maria Rita and I went to see an exhibition of the work of the well-known Sardinian sculptor and painter Costantino Nivola, grandfather of Alessandro Nivola the film actor. Nivola came from a very humble background, growing up in the small village of Orani which is about 15 kilometres south west of Nuoro. He worked locally as an apprentice stonemason before finding success as an artist but spent much of his later life in New York after marrying Ruth Guggenheim, whose Jewish origins made much of Europe an uncomfortable place for the couple during the Second World War.
The exhibition is showing in Nuoro at the Tribu in Piazza Santa Maria della Neve, until 21st of March, and is entitled L'investigazione dello spazio (The investigation of space). We found it a very interesting exhibition, with some curious abstract works alongside others based more in realism, and we could clearly see how Nivola's native Sardinia influenced his work (as in the work Bozzetto per il pannello murale dello show-room Olivetti a New York, 1953, pictured above).
One of the most startling and profound works was the Capella del Corpus Christi (the Chapel of Christ - pictured below) which was upstairs in a seperate room away from the main body of the exhibition. Entering inside was evocative of entering any chapel where the ambience and silence can give an immediate and soothing experience of sensitivity, both physical and emotional.
Nivola had close links with the town of Nuoro and in 1965 accepted a commission to create a series of sculptures in the Piazza Satta, a square in the central part of the town, and this was completed in 1967. Here, it is very much in evidence just how Nivola made such creative and intelligent use of space. (A part of Nivola's work in Piazza Satta is pictured below).
I had indended to write this post earlier but a bout of gastric flu knocked me back for several days. Anyway, now, just a fortnight or so after the event, I'm ready to write about 'il fuoco di sant'antonio', a traditional festival in Italy which takes place on the 16th and 17th January. Firewood is gathered beforehand and, with food and drink in generous supply, a huge bonfire burnt on the 16th January, the eve of the 17th, the day which actually honours Sant'Antonio (or Saint Anthony in English). On Friday the 15th January, we travelled from Nuoro to Lotzorai, a small and very picturesque seaside town on the east coast of Sardinia where Maria Rita's family have a holiday home. We joined about another ten members of the extended family for the celebration. Unfortunately, I started to feel unwell on Saturday so I wasn't able to involve myself as much as I would have liked. However, I was well enough come Saturday evening to partake of the rather sumptuous feast that we all indulged in as we sat around the blazing bonfire. Jokes and stories were told and everyone seemed to be enjoying the food, the conversation and the warmth of the fire. It was quite an experience for me as I tried to listen, sometimes following the thread of the Italian being spoken and understanding quite well, and other times completely losing it.
Unfortunately, on Sunday I started to feel very queasy and extremely delicate and it was a relief to arrive back in Nuoro. Nevertheless, I do hope that I'll be able to enjoy the experience more fully in the years to come!
Below is a pic of me enjoying 'il fuoco di sant'antonio'.
