Giuseppe Penone's Monographic Exhibition at MAC's Grand-Hornu

The MAC's (Musée des Arts Contemporains) at Grand-Hornu, Belgium, is hosting a monographic exhibition of Giuseppe Penone until February 13, 2011. The show spans both indoor galleries and the garden, where a permanent outdoor work from the 'Pierres des arbres' series has been installed. Curated by Laurent Busine, the exhibition features sculptures in wood, bronze, and clay, emphasizing Penone's engagement with natural materials and time. The centerpiece is 'Matrice di linfa' (Matrix of Sap), a spectacular longitudinal cut of a tree displayed in a leather-floored room. Other highlights include the rarely shown 'Géométries dans les mains' series—six bronze masses with geometric forms in stainless steel—and photographic works from the 1970s like 'Renverser ses propres yeux' and 'Développer sa propre peau'. Penone, a key figure of Arte Povera, discusses his sculptural process, the importance of time, and the adaptation of the hand to materials. The exhibition also includes 'Bifurcation' (1991), an outdoor piece with a bronze hand embedded in a tree trunk. Penone's work is presented as a reflection on sculpture, the positive/negative relationship, and the dialogue between nature and the built environment. The site's industrial heritage as a former coal mine resonates with the geological themes in the art.