Newspaper Sphere

Michelangelo Pistoletto created the first Sfera di giornali in 1966 as part of his Oggetti in meno (Minus Objects, 1965–1966), a heterogeneous series of sculptural objects composed of everyday, inexpensive, or otherwise readily available materials. At the time, Pistoletto was best known for his quadri specchianti (mirror paintings): the highly polished stainless steel panels he collaged and later silkscreened with life-size cutouts of everyday subjects and objects. The Minus Objects testified to the artist’s view of time as a series of unrepeatable moments.
Composed of newspapers that have been pressed together, the spheres were conceived as physical articulations of the dynamic and constantly changing events of everyday life. At the end of 1967, Pistoletto repurposed the sphere; he removed it from the studio and rolled it between three galleries in Turin, entitling the action Scultura da passeggio (Walking Sculpture).
Since 1967, Walking Sculpture has been reenacted several times around the world. The performance held in Cold Spring, New York in November 2017 celebrated Magazzino’s inaugural year. This sphere is made of local newspapers surrounding that date.
Magazzino is honored and grateful for the generous donation of this work by the artist.