Renowned Italian sphere sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro dies aged 98
Arnaldo Pomodoro, one of Italy's most prominent contemporary artists, has died at the age of 98.
Pomodoro died at home in Milan on Sunday, the eve of his 99th birthday, according to a statement from Carlotta Montebello, director general of the Arnaldo Pomodoro Foundation.
Best known for his massive and shiny bronze spheres with clawed out interiors which decorate iconic public spaces from the Vatican to the United Nations, the artist sought to comment on the superficial perfection of exteriors and the troubled complexity of interiors.
In a note of condolences, Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said Pomodoro's 'wounded' spheres 'speak to us today of the fragility and complexity of the human and the world.'
The Vatican's sphere, which occupies a central place in the Pigna Courtyard of the Vatican Museums, features an internal mechanism that rotates with the wind.
'In my work I see the cracks, the eroded parts, the destructive potential that emerges from our time of disillusionment,' the Vatican quoted Pomodoro as saying about its sphere.
The United Nations in New York received a 3.3-meter diameter 'Sphere Within Sphere' sculpture as a gift from Italy in 1996. Pomodoro described it as 'a smooth exterior womb erupted by complex interior forms,' and 'a promise for the rebirth of a less troubled and destructive world.'
Other spheres are located at museums around the world and outside the Italian foreign ministry, which has the original work that Pomodoro created in 1966 for the Montreal Expo that began his monumental sculpture project.
In addition to his spheres, Pomodoro designed theatrical sets, land projects and machines, as well as a controversial fiberglass crucifix for the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - featuring a four-and-a-half-meter diameter crown of thorns which hovers over the figure of Christ.
The artist had multiple retrospectives and, according to his biography on the foundation website, taught at Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and Mills College.
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CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Arnaldo Pomodoro, whose bronze spheres decorate prominent public spaces around the world, dies at 98
Arnaldo Pomodoro, one of Italy's most prominent contemporary artists whose bronze spheres decorate iconic public spaces from the Vatican to the United Nations, has died at age 98, his foundation said Monday. Pomodoro died at home in Milan on Sunday, the eve of his 99th birthday, according to a statement from Carlotta Montebello, director general of the Arnaldo Pomodoro Foundation. Pomodoro's massive spheres are instantly recognizable: shiny, smooth bronze globes with clawed out interiors that Pomodoro has said referred to the superficial perfection of exteriors and the troubled complexity of interiors. In a note of condolences, Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said Pomodoro's 'wounded' spheres 'speak to us today of the fragility and complexity of the human and the world.' The Vatican's sphere, which occupies a central place in the Pigna courtyard of the Vatican Museums, features an internal mechanism that rotates with the wind. 'In my work I see the cracks, the eroded parts, the destructive potential that emerges from our time of disillusionment,' the Vatican quoted Pomodoro as saying about its sphere. The United Nations in New York received a 3.3-meter (10 foot, eight inch) diameter 'Sphere Within Sphere' sculpture as a gift from Italy in 1996. The UN sphere refers to the coming of the new millennium, the UN said: 'a smooth exterior womb erupted by complex interior forms,' and 'a promise for the rebirth of a less troubled and destructive world,' Pomodoro said of it. Other spheres are located at museums around the world and outside the Italian foreign ministry, which has the original work that Pomodoro created in 1966 for the Montreal Expo that began his monumental sculpture project. Pomodoro was born in Montefeltro, Italy, on June 23, 1926. In addition to his spheres, he designed theatrical sets, land projects and machines. He had multiple retrospectives and taught at Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and Mills College, according to his biography on the foundation website.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Renowned Italian sphere sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro dies aged 98
Arnaldo Pomodoro, one of Italy's most prominent contemporary artists, has died at the age of 98. Pomodoro died at home in Milan on Sunday, the eve of his 99th birthday, according to a statement from Carlotta Montebello, director general of the Arnaldo Pomodoro Foundation. Best known for his massive and shiny bronze spheres with clawed out interiors which decorate iconic public spaces from the Vatican to the United Nations, the artist sought to comment on the superficial perfection of exteriors and the troubled complexity of interiors. In a note of condolences, Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said Pomodoro's 'wounded' spheres 'speak to us today of the fragility and complexity of the human and the world.' The Vatican's sphere, which occupies a central place in the Pigna Courtyard of the Vatican Museums, features an internal mechanism that rotates with the wind. 'In my work I see the cracks, the eroded parts, the destructive potential that emerges from our time of disillusionment,' the Vatican quoted Pomodoro as saying about its sphere. The United Nations in New York received a 3.3-meter diameter 'Sphere Within Sphere' sculpture as a gift from Italy in 1996. Pomodoro described it as 'a smooth exterior womb erupted by complex interior forms,' and 'a promise for the rebirth of a less troubled and destructive world.' Other spheres are located at museums around the world and outside the Italian foreign ministry, which has the original work that Pomodoro created in 1966 for the Montreal Expo that began his monumental sculpture project. In addition to his spheres, Pomodoro designed theatrical sets, land projects and machines, as well as a controversial fiberglass crucifix for the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - featuring a four-and-a-half-meter diameter crown of thorns which hovers over the figure of Christ. The artist had multiple retrospectives and, according to his biography on the foundation website, taught at Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley and Mills College.
Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Gretchen's table: Panzanella is a fresh and tasty answer to stale bread
If you're like me, and sometimes forget what's in your pantry, you probably buy more bread than you can use on occasion. How many loaves have dried on your counter? Rather than throw it to the birds, you might soak it in milk kissed with cinnamon and sugar to make a buttery pan of French toast. You could pulverize the dry slices in a food processor to make bread crumbs, or cube and fry it in a little olive oil for salad croutons. Even though we're many weeks away from tomato season, I have an even tastier way to upcycle bread that's beyond its prime. Use it as the base for panzanella, a rustic, traditional Italian salad made with stale bread, cucumbers and tomatoes. OK, I just put my tomato plants in, thanks to uncooperative weather. But it's important to remember panzanella isn't so much a tomato salad flavored with bread as it is a bread salad that gets a boost from vegetables, including tomatoes. No need to wait for your garden harvest. I've been finding some really nice containers of juicy yellow and red cherry tomatoes at my favorite grocery the last few weeks. It's also easy to find an intensely flavored heirloom tomato at most larger grocery stores, and to be honest, unless you're really picky about using only sun-ripened homegrown or locally grown fruit, the stem-tomatoes that come still on the vine are usually pretty good, too. There's a long tradition of pairing stale bread with seasonal veggies in central Italy. La cucina povera, or the kitchen of the poor, required poor peasants to improvise with what little they had in their pantries and gardens to make great food with simple, high-quality ingredients. The first written record of an early version of the dish - pan lavato, meaning "washed bread" - is believed to come from writer Boccaccio in the 14th century. Panzanella is traditionally made with stale Tuscan bread, which has a bland crumb and a dark crust. My version is a little less conventional: I made the toasted bread cubes out of three day-old everything bagels I got at a deep discount at Oakmont Bakery. I also used sliced shallot instead of the more pungent red onion that often characterizes the dish because the allium I had waiting in my fridge had gone soft and mushy. The combination of raw, juicy tomatoes, onions, crunchy cucumbers and bright green basil makes for a fresh, light summer lunch. Vinegar is essential in the vinaigrette - it gives the dressing a nice tang. Panzanella salad For salad 1 1/2 pounds assorted tomatoes, halved or cut into wedges Sea salt 3 day-old bagels or 1/2 pound Tuscan or sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling bread 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot or red onion 1/2 English cucumber, sliced into half moons 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional For the dressing 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste Heaping 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste Ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place tomatoes in a large bowl and toss with about 1 teaspoon salt. Allow to sit for around 5 minutes, then drain tomatoes over a large bowl, reserving the juices. Place bagel or bread pieces in a large bowl, and drizzle with enough olive oil to cover (about 3 tablespoons). Toss to coat. Scatter the bread on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. (I used everything bagels, so was sparing.) Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until crispy around the edges. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and several grinds of pepper. Add onion, tomatoes, cucumber and bread to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Add a little of the reserved tomato juices, and toss again. Add cheese, if using, and basil and gently toss. Season to taste and serve with more fresh basil on top. Serves 4. - Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
