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Giuseppe Penone — 26 Unghiate
Giuseppe Penone

26 Unghiate

1989

A large-scale relief work by Italian Arte Povera artist Giuseppe Penone, *26 Unghiate* (26 Scratches) captures the raw, repeated gesture of fingernails dragged across a surface, immortalized in plaster and card on canvas. The work transforms a fleeting bodily action into a permanent record, emphasizing Penone's enduring interest in the trace of the human body as a sculptural and poetic force. The textured, tactile surface invites contemplation of the relationship between physical gesture, material, and time.

Medium
plaster and card laid on canvas

🔨 Auction Lot

20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale

March 9, 2018

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About this work

Giuseppe Penone, 26 Unghiate, 1989

A large-scale relief work by Italian Arte Povera artist Giuseppe Penone, *26 Unghiate* (26 Scratches) captures the raw, repeated gesture of fingernails dragged across a surface, immortalized in plaster and card on canvas. The work transforms a fleeting bodily action into a permanent record, emphasizing Penone's enduring interest in the trace of the human body as a sculptural and poetic force. The textured, tactile surface invites contemplation of the relationship between physical gesture, material, and time.

Medium
plaster and card laid on canvas
Year
1989
Seen at
Phillips, New York, London, Hong Kong

Related themes

Tactile Texture, Minimalist, Male Artist, Tactile And Sensory, Mixed Media, Conceptual Art, Plaster on Canvas, Tactile Quality, Italian Artist, Contemporary Artist, Process Art, Texture and Relief, Arte Povera, Neutral Tones, Abstract

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