edoardo tresoldi shares exclusive preview of 'opera', a public artwork in reggio calabria, italy

italian artist edoardo tresoldi has shared an exclusive preview of ‘opera’, a permanent public art installation on the seafront of reggio calabria, italy. designboom had been on site in august 2020 to document the set up of the artwork as it took shape ahead of its scheduled opening.

update 9/14/2020: on september 12, 2020, ‘opera’ has been officially unveiled on reggio calabria’s seafront. during the opening weekend, a series of free music, performance and poetry events was held, with a sound installation by italian musician and composer teho teardo, poetry events curated by italian poet and writer franco arminio, and a secret concert by the well-known italian songwriter brunori sas.

image © roberto conte

‘opera’ celebrates the contemplative relationship between place and the human being through the language of classical architecture and the transparency of ‘absent matter’, expressed through the material of wire mesh. within a 2,500 square meter park adjacent to the sea, the open structure comprises a colonnade of 46 pillars peaking at eight meters at their highest point. the fully traversable and accessible monument is open to locals and visitors, becoming a new landmark for the region.

image © roberto conte

edoardo tresoldi — who was nominated for THE DESIGN PRIZE 2019 in the category of ‘in the artistic realm’ — plays with the transparency of mesh and industrial materials to transcend the time-space dimension and narrate a dialogue between art and the world around us. he has presented works within public spaces, archaeological contexts, artistic parks, events, interiors, and exhibitions worldwide.

image © roberto conte

this latest installation realized for the southern italian city generates a sort of imaginary space — a mental agora that leads visitors into an ever-changing perceptive dimension. varied heights and depths create a social setting within which visitors can reflect and contemplate their surroundings. ‘opera was created to emphasize the character of place through the built element, thus suggesting an additional layer of understanding,’ tresoldi says. ‘I tried to build a place of contemplation and to investigate the role of public art today, which I believe should be able to embrace the present.’

image © roberto conte

promoted and commissioned by the local municipality and the metropolitan city, ‘opera’ is tresoldi’s second installation in calabria after il collezionista di venti in 2013, and the second permanent public artwork in italy after the basilica of siponto in apulia. 

image © mattia greghi

image © roberto conte

image © mattia greghi

image © mattia greghi

image © roberto conte

image © roberto conte

image © mattia greghi

image © roberto conte

image © roberto conte

image © roberto conte

the artwork took shape over the course of several months on the seafront of reggio calabria, italy — see making-of images, and original drawings of the sculpture and site by edoardo tresoldi below.

image © mattia greghi

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © designboom

image © mattia greghi

image © mattia greghi

image © mattia greghi

image © mattia greghi

drawing courtesy of edoardo tresoldi 

drawing courtesy of edoardo tresoldi 

drawing courtesy of edoardo tresoldi 

project info: 

artist: edoardo tresoldi 
title: opera
type: permanent installation
location: under falcomatà seafront, in the park at the end of via giunchi reggio calabria, italy
opening: september 12/13, 2020