Past Exhibition

Pierino Selmoni, Shinroku Shimokawa

The temporary exhibition (2022) is based on the idea of mirroring the position of a sculptor anchored in the region, Pierino Selmoni, with that of an internationally active artist, Shinroku Shimokava, who was also one of the first artists in residence at the Centro Internazionale di Scultura (CIS) in 2021 and who is familiar with the structural peculiarities of the location. The connection of the CIS with an artistic personality from Ticino and the opening of the exhibition concept with an internationally active artist are two fundamental factors for the positioning of the CIS at home and abroad.

Pierino Selmoni (1927-2017) is one of the last representatives of sculpture made using traditional techniques and tools in the canton of Ticino (Switzerland).

A profound connoisseur of stone material and traditional cutting techniques - so much so that Jean Arp and Max Bill entrusted him during their stays in Locarno in Remo Rossi's Saleggi atelier - he experimented with new materials (e.g. iron) and techniques (e.g. welding).

Shinroku Shimokawa (*1979) trained at the University of Art in Tokyo (2000-2005) and at the State Academy of Plastic Art in Stuttgart (2015), where he still lives. In his stone works, often accompanied by video projections, the Japanese artist encompasses fragility and fear, but also the process of production, the properties of the material, the dimensions of the object, space and time; themes that the artist investigates not only in sculpture, but also in everyday activities such as cooking, the primary basis for sharing experiences.

The temporary exhibition is curated by Lilian Hasler and Dr. Marie Therese Bätschmann.