Federico Fusj's Sonic Sculptures at Palazzo Chigi-Saracini

Since January 2025, two rooms of Palazzo Chigi-Saracini in Siena have hosted marble sculptures by Federico Fusj (born 1967, Siena). The exhibition, titled "In Courtesy. Silenziare la forma," explores the relationship between sound and sculpture. Fusj, who teaches at the Accademia di Belle Arti dell'Aquila and founded the radio platform radioarte in 2001, released a CD in 2023 titled "La scultura arte sonora" that captures the sound of hammer and chisel. For Fusj, sculpting is a sonic action: the first result of a chisel blow is sound, not material removal. He practices direct carving, creating voids rather than removing excess. The exhibition silences the forms by using wall panels as visual suppressors, a concept inspired by gun silencers. Fusj argues that sculpture must restitute space, as seen in the Chigiana installation where panels became backgrounds for 360-degree viewing. He cites Lucio Fontana as a key influence for bringing space into the work. The exhibition is part of the Accademia Musicale Chigiana's activities, known for its summer festival directed by Nicola Sani.