Kengiro Azuma's Graphic Art Retrospective at Palazzo Pino

A retrospective of Kengiro Azuma's graphic art is on view at Palazzo Pino in Monteroni di Lecce, curated by Lorenzo Madaro in collaboration with the Noon association and Protem agency. The exhibition presents thirty works from the collection of the Mig, the International Museum of Graphics in Castronuovo di Sant'Andrea, directed by Giuseppe Appella. Azuma (Yamagata, 1926 – Milan, 2016) was a Japanese sculptor and painter whose work is rooted in the Zen concept of MU—the philosophical void understood as fullness that encompasses being and non-being. His artistic practice was influenced by the Spatialist lesson of Lucio Fontana and the work of Marino Marini, his lifelong mentor and friend. The retrospective is organized into three sections: etchings and lithographs, drawings for artistic projects and monuments, and works in mixed media, tempera, and watercolors. Azuma, son of metal casters, maintained a strong connection with materials, especially bronze, and his exploration of MU became a thematic backbone across his graphic production. According to Madaro, the line in Azuma's work is an idealization of matter, representing its most ethereal aspect. The exhibition is part of the new cultural venue Palazzo Pino – Casa delle Culture.