ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Padua Exhibition Explores 20th-Century Sculpture Through Affection and Touch

exhibition · 2026-04-27

In Padua, there's an exhibition featuring 120 artworks, which include sculptures, bas-reliefs, and graphic pieces. It dives into 20th-century avant-garde movements, touching on themes like life's journey, relationships, and empathy. Artists like Auguste Rodin, Pablo Picasso, and Salvador Dalí are among the highlights. The exhibit focuses on Humanism, exploring modern emotions and the relationship between the physical and spiritual realms, along with technology. The innovative setup displays pieces arranged in a circular fashion, creating a unique visual connection. Curator Maria Palladino emphasizes art's transformative nature, referencing Socrates’ thoughts on beauty. This event is seen as a significant cultural and social transition.

Key facts

  • 120 works on display
  • Themes: path of life, relationship, encounter, distance, waiting, empathy, compassion
  • Artists include Rodin, Mitoraj, Picasso, Dalí, Martini, Moore, Segal, Gemito, Canonica
  • Installation uses circular arrangement on walls and central tables
  • Curator: Maria Palladino
  • Exhibition explores Humanism and the gap between sensibility and technology
  • Socrates' Symposium quoted to explain the role of touch in knowledge
  • Show described as 'transitional' in cultural and social context

Entities

Artists

  • Auguste Rodin
  • Igor Mitoraj
  • Pablo Picasso
  • Salvador Dalí
  • Arturo Martini
  • Henry Moore
  • George Segal
  • Vincenzo Gemito
  • Pietro Canonica
  • Marcel Duchamp
  • Socrates

Institutions

  • Artribune
  • Palazzo del Monte di Pietà

Locations

  • Padua
  • Italy

Sources