Giuseppe Penone and Amedeo Modigliani Exhibitions in Philadelphia

Two major Italian art exhibitions are on view in Philadelphia. At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, "River of Forms: Giuseppe Penone's Drawings" runs until February 26, 2023. The show features around 200 drawings from a donation of 309 works on paper by Penone, honoring his wife Dina Carrara. Curated by Carlos Basualdo, the exhibition follows a chronological order, including sculptures, three-dimensional works, and three videos of the artist at work. A monumental bronze tree, "Identità," is installed outside the west entrance, while "Pensieri e Linfa," a 25-meter-long frottage on linen of an acacia tree, occupies an adjacent corridor. Penone, born in 1947 in Garessio, is often associated with Arte Povera, but the show emphasizes drawing as a process and interface between artist and nature. A twin exhibition of his drawings is at the Centre Pompidou in Paris until March 6. Meanwhile, at the Barnes Foundation, "Modigliani Up Close" runs until January 29, 2023. Based on research since 2017, the show uses new technologies and scientific analysis to reveal little-known aspects of Amedeo Modigliani's techniques, including dense surfaces, revisions, and tool marks. It traces his phases from arrival in Paris in 1906 to his move to southern France, where he adapted methods to capture Mediterranean light.