Giuseppe Penone's First Gagosian NY Show Explores Bronze as Living Matter

Giuseppe Penone's first solo exhibition at Gagosian's New York gallery, titled 'The Reflection of Bronze,' opened on May 3, 2026. Curated by Adam D. Weinberg, the show presents a new cycle of bronze sculptures by the Arte Povera master. The exhibition is organized as an immersive experience across three rooms. The first space is entirely lined with cork, where bronze elements interact with the organic surface, evoking skin and regenerative capacity. At its center, the sculpture 'Marsia' (2024) references the myth of the satyr punished by Apollo, reflecting on the body, metamorphosis, and vulnerability. Penone reinterprets bronze—traditionally associated with permanence—as living matter capable of recording time and change. The work continues his research since the 1960s, translating his interest in trees and natural processes into sculpture that tensions the organic and artificial.