Opera per Torino, Contemporary sculpture in Largo Orbassano, Turin, Italy
Opera per Torino is an architectural sculpture in Turin featuring two geometric portals built from red bricks arranged in a trapezoidal form. The structure spans approximately 6 meters wide and 5.8 meters tall, serving as a landmark within the urban landscape of Largo Orbassano.
Per Kirkeby, a Danish artist, created this work in 2005 as one of eleven installations commissioned along Turin's Railway Passante project. The series of works transformed how public art was integrated into the city's modern infrastructure expansion.
The work reflects how architecture and geometry shape human movement and perception of urban space through its bold red brick forms. Visitors walking past the portals experience how the artist used simple materials to create a framing device that changes their view of the surroundings.
The sculpture is freely accessible from the public space at Largo Orbassano without gates or admission fees, making it easy to view from multiple angles. Visit during daylight hours to appreciate how the natural light interacts with the brick surfaces and emphasizes the geometric forms.
The brick surfaces were crafted using specialized San Marco bricks manufactured without sand, creating a distinctive material composition rarely seen in public sculptures. This production method results in surface qualities that respond subtly to changing light throughout the day, altering how the red surfaces appear to viewers.
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