Adolf Vallazza: A Life in Wood at Palazzo Assessorile
The exhibition 'Adolf Vallazza. Una storia scritta nel legno' at Palazzo Assessorile in Cles, Trento, presents nearly one hundred works by the 94-year-old Val Gardena sculptor. Curated by Gabriele Lorenzoni, the retrospective traces Vallazza's evolution from figurative religious carvings to abstract totems and thrones, using reclaimed antique wood from farmhouses. Vallazza abandoned figuration in the 1960s, inspired by Marino Marini, Henry Moore, and Constantin Brâncuși. His totems and thrones, often assembled from century-old planks, retain traces of wear—nail holes, insect damage, weather stains—which he enhances with water-based tempera. Vallazza credits his wife Renata for encouraging his artistic shift from artisan to artist. The works are displayed in dialogue with 16th-century frescoes in the historic palace. Vallazza continues to work in his Ortisei studio.
Key facts
- Adolf Vallazza was born in Ortisei in 1924.
- The exhibition 'Adolf Vallazza. Una storia scritta nel legno' is at Palazzo Assessorile in Cles, Trento.
- The show is curated by Gabriele Lorenzoni.
- It features nearly one hundred works.
- Vallazza abandoned figuration in the 1960s.
- He uses antique wood from farmhouses, some centuries old.
- His totems and thrones are his most famous works.
- Vallazza was inspired by Marino Marini, Henry Moore, and Constantin Brâncuși.
- His wife Renata encouraged him to focus on art.
- He previously ran a workshop producing religious sculptures.
- The wood shows traces of nails, insects, and weather.
- He adds water-based tempera, never oil.
- The exhibition runs in dialogue with 16th-century frescoes.
- Vallazza still works in his Ortisei studio.
Entities
Artists
- Adolf Vallazza
- Marino Marini
- Henry Moore
- Constantin Brâncuși
- Josef Moroder Lusenberg
- Karl Felix Wolff
- Sara d'Alessandro Manozzo
Institutions
- Artribune
- Palazzo Assessorile
- GAM di Torino
Locations
- Ortisei
- Val Gardena
- Cles
- Trento
- Dolomites
- Italy