1. Installation view, Salvo. Arrivare in tempo. Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino, 2024. Image, Courtesy of Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino. Photo Credit: Sebastiano Pellion di Persano
A comprehensive retrospective
The Pinacoteca Agnelli in Turin is hosting the most extensive exhibition ever dedicated to the Italian artist Salvo (Leonforte 1947 – Turin 2015), titled "Arriving on Time." Open to the public until May 25, 2025, this retrospective offers a unique opportunity to delve into the career of one of Italy's most distinctive and influential contemporary artists.
Curated by Sarah Cosulich and Lucrezia Calabrò Visconti, the exhibition takes visitors on a chronological and thematic journey across three floors of the museum, highlighting the various phases of Salvo's artistic evolution.
Salvo was a multifaceted artist whose work defied classification. Throughout his career, he explored a variety of media and techniques, moving between Conceptual Art and painting. He was deeply engaged with themes of identity, self-representation, memory, and the interplay between artistic tradition and modernity.
Although he is best known for his vibrant and dreamlike landscapes, his artistic trajectory began within the conceptual movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s before he made a decisive return to painting.
Arranged across eight thematic sections, the exhibition presents over 170 works, including paintings, conceptual pieces, archival materials, and reconstructions of key exhibitions from Salvo’s career. By examining the evolution of his work from his early conceptual experiments to his later luminous landscapes, "Arriving on Time" offers a fresh perspective on an artist whose contributions to contemporary art remain profound and enduring.
Exhibition layout
The exhibition unfolds across three floors of the Pinacoteca Agnelli, structured into eight chapters that illuminate different facets of Salvo’s artistic practice.
1973: a pivotal year
2. Installation view, Salvo. Arrivare in tempo. Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino, 2024. Image, Courtesy of Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino. Photo Credit: Sebastiano Pellion di Persano
The first section of the exhibition focuses on a crucial turning point in Salvo’s career: the year 1973. This was a moment of transition, when Salvo moved from a predominantly conceptual approach to painting.
The exhibition reconstructs two key solo shows from that year. The first, held at John Weber Gallery in New York, showcased works rooted in Conceptual Art, such as "Autoritratto (come Raffaello)" (1970), in which Salvo playfully identifies with one of his great artistic predecessors.
The second exhibition, at Galleria Toselli in Milan, marked his official debut as a painter, presenting two large-scale works, "San Giorgio e il Drago" and "San Michele." Displayed together for the first time since 1973, these works illustrate how Salvo seamlessly blended conceptual strategies with the tradition of Italian painting.
Lapidi: conceptual plaques
3. Installation view, Salvo. Arrivare in tempo. Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino, 2024. Image, Courtesy of Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino. Photo Credit: Sebastiano Pellion di Persano
The second chapter explores a significant body of work from Salvo’s early career: his "lapidi" or plaques. Inspired by commemorative plaques found in public spaces, these works reveal Salvo’s engagement with language, history, and monumentality.
While many Conceptual artists used language in an impersonal, minimalist manner, Salvo chose the refined aesthetics of traditional inscriptions, carving enigmatic or ironic phrases into marble. These works balance humor and gravitas, exploring themes of time, legacy, and artistic identity.
Studio: the artist's workplace
The third section, "Studio," immerses viewers in Salvo’s intellectual world. Featuring still lifes, books, and maps, this section highlights his deep engagement with philosophy, literature, and the history of painting. Included in this space is the manuscript "Sulla Pittura" (1983), a previously unseen text inspired by Wittgenstein, as well as works that integrate books as found objects. This room underscores the significance of repetition in Salvo’s artistic language, both as a conceptual tool and a painterly technique.
Nocturnal urban scenes
4. Installation view, Salvo. Arrivare in tempo. Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino, 2024. Image, Courtesy of Pinacoteca Agnelli, Torino. Photo Credit: Sebastiano Pellion di Persano
The exhibition then shifts focus to the nocturnal urban scenes that became a recurring motif in Salvo’s work. His bar scenes, populated by figures engaged in quiet contemplation or social interactions, capture the artificial glow of neon-lit interiors. The contrast between solitude and social engagement, as well as the use of intense color, defines this body of work, reflecting a broader exploration of urban life and memory.
Exploring light
"La Grande Sera," a reference to a novel by Giuseppe Pontiggia, highlights Salvo’s fascination with light, particularly at twilight. This section presents a collection of paintings depicting cityscapes illuminated by the warm glow of streetlights and industrial lighting. The exhibition’s title, "Arriving on Time," is echoed in an anecdote from Salvo’s life: after causing a minor accident, he explained that he had been rushing to catch the sunset. This story, preserved in a letter to Pontiggia, is presented alongside paintings that capture the magic of the fading daylight.
Nocturnal scenes
The final section, "Notturni," delves into Salvo’s exploration of nightscapes, spanning several decades. His depictions of moonlit landscapes, silhouetted palm trees, and mountain villages bathed in soft luminescence showcase his mastery of color and atmosphere. The exhibition concludes with a trio of portraits, including a self-portrait, that bring together themes of solitude, memory, and artistic introspection.
Conclusion
"Arriving on Time" is more than a retrospective; it is a rediscovery of an artist whose work continues to resonate in contemporary artistic discourse. Salvo’s ability to navigate between conceptual rigor and painterly tradition makes him a singular figure in Italian and international art. His work challenges notions of artistic identity, time, and representation, weaving together references from art history with a deeply personal vision.
Through a carefully curated selection of works, this exhibition invites visitors to engage with Salvo’s evolving artistic language, from his conceptual beginnings to his richly atmospheric landscapes. By spanning multiple decades and artistic approaches, "Arriving on Time" affirms Salvo’s enduring impact, ensuring that his unique and poetic vision remains alive for future generations. In retracing his journey, the exhibition also poses a broader question about the nature of artistic legacy: How does an artist "arrive on time" within history? Salvo's work provides an answer, demonstrating that artistic relevance transcends temporal boundaries when guided by an authentic and innovative voice.
Informations about the exhibition
Place: Pinacoteca Agnelli
Date: 1.11.2024 – 25.5.2025
Curators: Sarah Cosulich and Calabrò Visconti
Ticket: Available on the website of the Pinacoteca Agnelli OR at the front desk of the museum
Informations about the Pinacoteca Agnelli
Pinacoteca Agnelli
Lingotto
Via Nizza, 230/103
IT-10 216 - Turin
Phone: +39 011 09 25 0 11
Mail: info@pinacoteca-agnelli.it