Nivola Museum, Museum of modern art in Orani, Italy
The Nivola Museum is a modern art museum in Orani housed in a restored former wash-house, displaying sculptures, paintings, and murals created by artist Costantino Nivola. The works are arranged in thoughtfully designed exhibition spaces that make the most of the building's original architecture.
The museum was established in 1994 to preserve the artistic legacy of Costantino Nivola, who lived from 1911 to 1988. The artist worked across Italy and New York, shaping the modern art landscape of the 20th century through his innovative approach.
The museum's temporary exhibitions centre on the relationship between art, architecture and landscape, with a focus on artists and movements close to Nivola. His circle of friends included Le Corbusier, Jackson Pollock, Saul Steinberg, Willem de Kooning and Alexander Calder. The wash-house was chosen because Nivola held it dear as a symbol of the town's communal life.
The museum occupies three buildings on different levels of a hill, linked by stairs and terraces, so expect some walking between the former wash-house, the lower pavilion and the partly buried 2012 wing. The courtyard is crossed by a channel of water from the old Su Càntaru spring, and the surrounding park, opened in 2009, holds sculptures and a monumental fountain designed by Nivola.
Nivola's circle of friends included Le Corbusier, Jackson Pollock, Saul Steinberg, Willem de Kooning and Alexander Calder; the museum's exhibitions keep this network in view. The wash-house was chosen because Nivola held it dear as a symbol of the town's communal life, and the site encloses the spring Su Càntaru.
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