On Fire

“The high dignity of the fire arts derives from the fact that their works bear the most profoundly human mark, the mark of primitive love. (…) The forms created by fire are modelled, more than any other, as Paul Valéry rightly suggests ‘by dint of caresses’.” – Gaston Bachelard, The Psychoanalysis of Fire, 1937

On Fire is the title of an exhibition curated by Bruno Corà, organized by the Giorgio Cini Foundation in collaboration with Tornabuoni Art, from April to July 2022, dedicated to the most evocative of nature’s primary elements: fire.

From Burri’s combustions to Klein’s, Arman’s and Kounellis’s use of gas flame, as well as Calzolari’s and Parmiggiani’s use of flames and smoke in different ways, the artists have explored both the destructive and generative effects of fire, using different materials, as well as ash and light, creating an innovative form of expression.

The exhibition includes works on international loan from the most prestigious public and private collections in Europe and North America, offering thus the opportunity to see some masterpieces that have never or rarely been seen before.