Sauro Cavallini

At Oblong Contemporary, we are delighted to present a curated selection of sculptures by Sauro Cavallini (1927–2016), one of Italy's most significant post-war sculptors whose monumental works continue to shape public spaces across Florence, Monaco, Strasbourg, Genoa, and beyond.

Cavallini's artistic language is unmistakable. Through fluid, elongated figures and dynamic compositions, he transformed the human body into a universal symbol of movement, emotion, freedom, and spiritual aspiration. His sculptures seem to defy gravity, capturing a fleeting moment between balance and flight.

Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, Cavallini received international recognition and created major public commissions, including the Monument to Peace in Florence, Hymn to Life for the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, the Monument to Columbus in Genoa, and Fraternity in Monaco. His works have been exhibited at prestigious institutions and international exhibitions, including the Salon d'Automne in Paris, Palazzo Strozzi, the Academy of Arts of Drawing in Florence, and the DIFC Sculpture Park in Dubai.

Today, collectors have the rare opportunity to acquire important monumental sculptures directly connected to this extraordinary legacy.

Among the highlights is Sculpture for Peace (1976), a unique bronze inspired by the celebrated Monument to Peace in Florence. A powerful composition of intertwined figures, it embodies Cavallini's lifelong commitment to harmony, dialogue, and collective humanity.

Equally significant is Universal Love (1974), a monumental bronze that exemplifies the artist's ability to transform human relationships into elegant, almost musical forms. The work has been exhibited in major public exhibitions across Italy and remains one of the most iconic examples of Cavallini's mature style.

Collectors seeking works associated with the artist's international recognition will appreciate Ballerina (1979), a striking sculpture that was exhibited in Dubai's DIFC Sculpture Walk during Expo 2020, bringing Italian sculptural excellence to one of the world's most dynamic cultural destinations.

Other important available works include Nature (1973), Gymnast (1974), Multiple Step (1984), Icarus (1983), Pas de Deux (1981), and David (1975), each demonstrating Cavallini's remarkable ability to fuse figurative tradition with modern abstraction.

Alongside these monumental sculptures, a refined selection of smaller bronzes and collector editions offers an accessible entry point into the artist's universe. These intimate works retain the same expressive energy and poetic movement that define his large-scale masterpieces.

More than sculptures, Cavallini's works are enduring statements about humanity, resilience, beauty, and hope. Their presence in public collections, museums, and historic urban settings throughout Europe confirms their lasting cultural significance and continuing relevance today.

During Milano Design Week 2026, Oblong Contemporary presents an extended selection of artworks at Giorgetti Spiga – The Place, where contemporary art enters into a precise and considered dialogue with architecture, design, and material research.

Conceived as an integrated presentation rather than a traditional exhibition, the selection unfolds across the interiors of the historic residence on Via della Spiga, where each work is positioned in direct relationship to space, light, and proportion. Within this context, sculpture and painting are not treated as autonomous objects, but as active elements that shape the perception of the environment.

At the core of the presentation are the works of Stefano Bombardieri, whose sculptural language investigates weight, suspension, and existential tension. His practice is rooted in a deep reflection on balance — both physical and symbolic — where mass appears simultaneously grounded and unstable. Works such as Balancing on the Past 4 (2021), La forma e il contenuto lucido (mini) (2024), and La forma e il contenuto nero (piccolo) (2024) articulate this duality through bronze, while Tutto andava a fuoco (2020) introduces a more conceptual dimension, combining material transformation with a sense of contained fragility.

In dialogue with Bombardieri, the works of Sauro Cavallini bring a distinct expressive intensity. Cavallini’s sculptural practice is defined by movement and emotional force, where figures and animals are captured in moments of tension and release. From the dynamism of Passo di danza (1979) and Ballerina (1981), to the powerful presence of Cavallo con criniera e coda, his works translate gesture into form. Complementing the sculptures, works on paper such as Passo a due in volo (1977) and Cavallo eretto (1969) reveal the immediacy of his line and the foundational role of drawing in his practice.

A more subtle and material-driven approach is introduced through Candida Ferrari, whose works in plexiglass and acrylic investigate transparency, light, and spatial layering. Pieces such as Luce trasparente (2026) and COSE RITROVATE (2000) operate through restraint, where minimal intervention produces a refined visual tension. The works shift depending on light conditions, creating a constantly evolving perception that is both delicate and precise.

The exploration of surface and structure continues with Omar Ludo, whose Estroflessione bianca grande (2022) expands the pictorial plane into a sculptural dimension. The work moves beyond traditional painting, where the canvas itself becomes a three-dimensional object, emphasizing volume, rhythm, and repetition.

A central role within the presentation is held by Fiedler O Mastrangelo, whose practice navigates between architecture, abstraction, and material experimentation. The large-scale Topografie triptych (2026) establishes a spatial rhythm through layered surfaces and gestural marks, while works such as Solomon Chopsticks (2024) — executed in Murano glass and forged steel — introduce a complex dialogue between fragility and structural precision. Sculptural works including Pillars of Creation (2024) further reinforce this interplay between mass and lightness, solidity and transformation.

The sculptural narrative is extended by Nicola Salvatore, whose Il carro degli idei (2009) reflects a more symbolic and narrative approach, rooted in classical references yet articulated through a contemporary lens.

In contrast, Umberto Ciceri’s HYPERTRAIT QUALIA (2014) introduces a conceptual investigation of perception and image, combining optics, photography, and layered materials to question the nature of representation.

Completing the selection, Gustavo Vélez presents Expansión Geométrica II (2023), a work that exemplifies his internationally recognised approach to geometric deformation. In Vélez’s practice, rigid structures appear to bend and expand, creating the illusion of movement within static material, and transforming geometry into a fluid, almost organic presence.

Across the presentation, a unifying thread emerges: a continuous negotiation between weight and lightness, structure and fluidity, permanence and transformation. Each work contributes to a broader narrative where contemporary art is not isolated, but embedded within the experience of space.

This approach reflects Oblong Contemporary’s ongoing commitment to placing artworks within lived environments — where sculpture and painting become part of a larger architectural and cultural context.

This Christmas, Oblong Contemporary presents a curated gift edit of collectible artworks—thoughtful, lasting, and rich in meaning. Moving beyond conventional gifts, art offers a timeless gesture: a piece to live...

On 13 September 2025, Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery will present a special evening dedicated to the Italian sculptor Sauro Cavallini (1927–2016). The event will unveil Ascensione d’amore, one of the...

Oblong Contemporary is proud to collaborate with Giorgetti for Dialoghi Creativi, an immersive exhibition where contemporary art and interior design come together in perfect harmony. Hosted within the refined setting...