Patrick Saytour: Le pli et le temps / La piega e il tempo

“Patrick Saytour. Le pli et le temps / La piega e il tempo”, curated by Daniela Ferretti, is the first exhibition in Italy dedicated to the late French artist. A prominent figure of the Supports/Surfaces movement, Saytour’s work is characterised by a lexicon of folds, cuts, burns, tears, solarisations, and seams. The project continues the Foundation’s thematic research into thread and fabric, now examining the fold as a metaphor for an ethics that embraces complexity and imperfection.

The display creates a dialogue between Saytour’s fragile materials and the historic architecture of the venue. Series such as “Plié/Déplié” serve as archives of time and gesture, while “Repliés” and “Brûlages” highlight the vulnerability of fabric through shadows and scars. In the “Nature morte” series, everyday objects are transformed into structures questioning the silent life of things and their resistance to time. A selection of works on paper reveals the artist’s distilling of energy through minimal vibrations and light traces.

This material research encounters the conceptual work of Piero Manzoni. Works such as “Achrome”, “Linee”, and “Fiato d’artista” provide a counterpoint to Saytour’s transformations. Both artists explore the tension between the gesture and the idea, sharing a rejection of ornament and an urgency for truth.