Stefano Bombardieri

A Return to Presence

50 New Artworks
Dubai, 6 May 2026

Oblong Contemporary presents A Return to Presence, a significant new exhibition unveiling a curated selection of 50 newly arrived artworks.

More than a presentation of new works, the exhibition marks a moment of recalibration — a return to the essential experience of art as presence, encounter, and shared space.

The selection brings together long-awaited works by Annalù, Stefano Bombardieri, Umberto Ciceri, alongside the sculptural animal bronzes of Giuseppe Maiorana, and the refined visual compositions of Robert Hromec. Complementing the dialogue, the sculptural forms of Gustavo Vélez, carved in marble, introduce a dimension of material clarity and meditative balance. The newest works by Cveto Marsič will also be on display, expanding the exhibition with a distinct painterly perspective rooted in landscape, rhythm, and abstraction.

At its core, the exhibition unfolds as a conversation between form and perception — where sculpture and painting operate not only as objects, but as presences.
Maiorana’s bronzes distill the animal figure into archetypal form — silent, grounded, and enduring. Bombardieri explores weight and existential tension, while Ciceri introduces movement and poise. Annalù expands material language through light and layered transparency. Hromec constructs visual depth through gesture and rhythm, and Vélez shapes marble into meditative clarity, balancing void and volume.

In a time marked by complexity and fragmentation, the exhibition offers something increasingly rare: a space to gather, to reconnect, and to experience art in its most immediate form.

The exhibition opens on 6 May 2026 from 7 PM, with a cocktail reception at Oblong Contemporary, Al Khayat Art Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Dubai.

This presentation introduces a highly limited selection of works, many of which are unique or part of small editions, and will be made available for acquisition for the first time during the evening.

Collectors are invited to engage closely with the artworks and to secure key pieces prior to wider release.

RSVP required
info@oblongcontemporary.com

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.

We are pleased to announce our participation in the DIFC Sculpture Park 2026, presenting works by Stefano Bombardieri, Hussain Jamil, and Manu Alguerò.
For the 2026 edition, the DIFC Sculpture Park will showcase a curated selection of large-scale artworks installed throughout the district between 5 March and 30 June 2026. The exhibition transforms DIFC’s iconic urban landscape into an open-air cultural destination, offering visitors the opportunity to experience contemporary sculpture in dialogue with the architecture and public spaces of the financial district.
This year’s presentation by Oblong Contemporary features powerful sculptural works that explore themes of strength, transformation, and human presence within modern environments. On view are Stefano Bombardieri’s Rhino Crack, a striking sculpture reflecting the artist’s exploration of tension between nature and civilization; Manu Alguerò’s The Gold Dress, a refined work embodying elegance and symbolic femininity; and a series of monumental pillars by Hussain Jamil — Parallel 1 (silver pillar), Parallel 2 (green pillar), and Parallel 4 (copper pillar) (2024) — which investigate balance, reflection, and spatial rhythm through minimalist vertical forms.
By integrating sculpture into DIFC’s public realm, the DIFC Sculpture Park continues to reinforce Dubai’s position as a leading global center for art and culture. The initiative invites visitors, professionals, and collectors to engage with contemporary art outside traditional gallery settings, encouraging new perspectives and dialogue between art, architecture, and the city.
The DIFC Sculpture Park also serves as a platform for galleries and artists to present ambitious works to a diverse international audience, transforming the district into a vibrant cultural promenade accessible to the public.

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...

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...

Oblong Contemporary Gallery will partecipate to the 3rd Edition of Roma Arte In Nuvola Fiera Internazionale di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, taking place in Rome from the 24th to the 26th of November 2023.

The Municipality of Pietrasanta in collaboration with the Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery organizes the exhibition CON ALTRI OCCHI. STEFANO BOMBARDIERI which will be set up in the Sala delle Grasce in Pietrasanta, from the 25th of June to the 16th of July 2023.

On the occasion of PARMA 360 Festival of Contemporary Creativity, the exhibition GUARDANDO OLTRE by Stefano Bombardieri opens in the splendid halls of the eighteenth-century Palazzo Marchi in Parma.

Oblong Contemporary Gallery will partecipate to the 2nd Edition of Roma Arte In Nuvola Art Fair, taking place in Rome from the 17th to the 20th of November 2022.

Oblong Contemporary Gallery will present the works by Gustavo Vélez, Manu Algueró, Stefano Bombardieri, Abol Atighetchi, Cveto Marsič, Flavio Lucchini and Gianfranco Meggiato at the Showroom of GIORGETTI in OBEGI Home, Dubai.

Oblong Contemporary Gallery is proud to announce the participation to the 17th Edition of the Contemporary Istanbul art fair, taking place in Istanbul from the 17th to the 22nd of September 2022.

On the occasion of the Milan Design Week and the Salone del Mobile, the collaboration between Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery of Forte dei Marmi and Dubai and Giorgetti is renewed.

The Municipality of Forte dei Marmi and the Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery of Dubai and Forte dei Marmi, in collaboration with Villa Bertelli, are pleased to announce the exhibition "Bombardieri and other animals" by the artist Stefano Bombardieri which will be held in Forte dei Marmi from April 9 to July 16, 2022.

On the occasion of Milan Art Week, Giorgetti presents, in the Atelier in via Serbelloni, an exhibition in collaboration with Oblong Contemporary Gallery and unveils a preview of two new products from the 2022 collection.

Oblong Contemporary Gallery will participate to Roma Arte in Nuvola International Fair of Modern and Contemporary Art taking place from the 18th until the 21st of November.

Oblong Contemporary in Dubai opens up the winter season with the group show “New Era”, on the occasion of the inauguration of a new exhibition space in front of the Ain Dubai in Bluewaters Island

Oblong Contemporary officially opens a new exhibition space inside the Bluewaters Island Mall of Dubai.

Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery will be present at the Fuorisalone of Milan with a collective exhibition hosted at the MyOwnGallery of SuperstudioPiù in via Tortona 27.

Oblong Contemporary is enthusiastic to announce the exhibition at the ERARTA Museum of Saint Petersburg "Stefano Bombardieri: The Boy and the Elephant". Whales, rhinos, elephants, hippos populate the amazing creative universe of Stefano Bombardieri. A large playground where nothing is what it seems.

The personal exhibition of Stefano Bombardieri "Quintessenze" at Oblong Contemporary in Forte dei Marmi encompasses some of the most renowned subjects of the artist, among which his Rhinos, Gorillas, Elephants and Ostriches.

OBLONG's debut exhibition THE NASCENCE, marks the galleries entry into Dubai’s internationally established art scene, showcasing the works of some of the most prolific and prominent artists of contemporary art, including: Igor Mitoraj, Manolo Valdéz, Stefano Bombardier, amongst many others.