Melotti's Savi Installed in Triennale Gardens Pavilion

For its 21st edition, Triennale di Milano has installed two sculptures from Fausto Melotti's "La disputa dei sette savi di Atene" (1960-1962) in a new pavilion called After/Umbracula, designed by Attilio Stocchi, in the Triennale gardens. The pavilion, inspired by mulberry trees in the Sala delle Asse of Castello Sforzesco and natural forms like sea sponges and leaves, will remain on view until September 12, 2016, with hopes of becoming a permanent fixture like De Chirico's Bagni Misteriosi or Burri's Teatro continuo. The project is supported by the Soprintendenza Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Milano. The stone Savi, made from Viggiù stone, are returning to the Triennale after being exhibited at the 1936 and 1940 editions in installations by BBPR (Banfi, Belgiojoso, Peressutti, Rogers). Melotti originally created the "Costante Uomo" prototype in plaster in 1936 for the Sala della Coerenza at the VI Triennale, alongside eleven other statues, designed by BBPR. These twelve sculptures rhythmically spaced the space, integrating color, word, and planes. The work synthesizes Melotti's themes: theatrical vision, modulation, musical theme-and-variations through positive and negative volumes, and classical rationalist architecture echoed in the iron grid patterns resembling abstract temple columns.