On the eve of his 99th birthday, Arnaldo Pomodoro passed away — a master of contemporary sculpture best known for his bronze spheres, displayed in some of the world’s most important cities, from Milan to New York, from Dublin to the Vatican. Pomodoro turned matter — especially bronze — into storytelling, becoming a witness to the 20th century and its transformations: from post-war avant-garde movements to the shaping of Italy’s public visual identity, from monumental squares to international collaborations.
There are hundreds of stories and anecdotes tied to the life and career of Arnaldo Pomodoro. Through his work, he left a profound mark not only on contemporary sculpture but on the visual culture of entire generations. Among his most important works is the Labyrinth, a piece covering 170 square meters, conceived by the artist in 1995 and later permanently placed in the underground spaces of via Solari 35.
Then there are the Spheres, monumental bronze sculptures characterized by a perfect spherical shape, partially “torn” open to reveal complex internal structures. A symbol of balance between perfection and fragmentation, they reflect on the fragility of the contemporary world and the tension between order and chaos. And finally, there’s Disco Grande, a bronze sculpture distinguished by its circular form marked by incisions and fractures that reveal its interior. The work reflects the contrast between harmony and disruption, becoming a symbol of complexity and the transformation of matter and time.
The influence of Arnaldo Pomodoro has long transcended the boundaries of the art world. He worked with theater, fashion, design, and scenography. He created opera sets and engaged with popular culture. In August 1973, readers of issue 926 of Topolino (Mickey Mouse) could encounter his forms while learning about geometry. In 1996, art critic Pepe Karmel wrote in the New York Times: “I’ve always believed that the Death Star in George Lucas’s Star Wars was inspired by Arnaldo Pomodoro’s great bronze spheres.”
Pomodoro’s art traveled through time, culture, and collective imagination. He built a visual language that today feels familiar — as if it had always existed. With his death, not only does a long career come to an end: a piece of our visual history also closes. His legacy, however, will not remain solely in his artworks but will continue through the work of the Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro, born from the artist’s desire to create a space open to reinterpretations of 20th-century art and to the creativity of young artists — a collective space of living experience aimed at deep, global engagement with people and society.
ph. cover courtesy Nino Lo Duca
