Donato Piccolo's 'Imprévisible' at Fondazione Pomodoro Merges Art and Science

Donato Piccolo's solo exhibition 'Imprévisible' at Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro in Milan, which closed in late May 2018, explored the intersection of art and science through sculptures, drawings, and interactive machines. The show was the first in a three-part series curated by Flavio Arensi for the Project Room, titled 'La stanza di Proust,' reflecting on sculpture's role today. Piccolo, born in Rome in 1976, works with themes of artificial intelligence, robotics, and the fusion of organic and mechanical elements. His pieces included semi-autonomous sculptures, circuit-filled boxes, and fog-producing glass enclosures. The exhibition featured drawings combining graphic precision with sensual, mechanical-botanical hybrids, as well as moving, interactive devices. Piccolo collaborates with a team of researchers on AI, designing and building robots himself. The show presented a vision of technology as a collaborative partner rather than a dehumanizing force, echoing Renaissance polymaths like Leonardo da Vinci.