Qatar Museums presents Giuseppe Penone's first Middle-East Exhibition

Qatar Museums (QM) has introduced the first Middle-East exhibition dedicated to Italian artist Giuseppe Penone, titled "Giuseppe Penone: The Inner Flow of Life." The exhibition, held at the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), showcases more than 50 works, including sculptures, drawings, installations, and photographs, spanning Penone's career from 1970 to the present. The exhibition also features five custom-built pavilions, each dedicated to a material central to Penone's practice, such as bronze, acacia thorns, and marble.

Commissioned by Qatar Museums, the exhibition takes place from October 26 to February 13, 2027, and is installed across NMoQ's distinctive Baraha and Old Palace. The artworks on display aim to explore the synergies between human and natural processes, reflecting Penone's enduring interest in this theme. The exhibition also includes two monumental bronze trees with river stones, titled Idee di Pietra, located at the Old Doha Port.

Giuseppe Penone, born in Garessio, Italy in 1947, is closely associated with the Arte Povera movement. His works in the exhibition reveal not only his vision as an artist but also speak to shared human experiences across borders. The exhibition includes immersive visual and olfactory experiences, such as Respirare l ombra (To Breathe the Shadow) and Alberi Libro (Book Trees), created using thousands of laurel leaves.

Additionally, the exhibition features "Propagazione di Sèvres" and "Propagazione," a large wall drawing made from fingerprints.

Selected pavilions focus on specific materials, such as acacia thorns and Carrara marble, showcasing works like Spine d acacia - Palpebra (Acacia Thorns - Eyelid) and Impronte di corpi nell’aria (Bodies Imprinted in the Air). Other notable pieces include Thunderstruck Tree and Rovesciare i propri occhi - Cascina Ruffini, as well as models, studies, drawings, photographs, and sketches from Penone's more than 50 years of artistic practice.

The exhibition is accompanied by a diverse program of public events, including talks, film screenings, workshops, literary encounters, and interactive experiences.