Nunzio/Martin Puryear
American Academy in Rome
What unified the works in this “duet” between the sculptors Martin Puryear and Nunzio was that the pieces on display were almost all made of wood. The different types that were deployed demonstrate varying degrees of resistance to handling, and particular formal qualities. Taking this into consideration, and retaining a certain amount of perceptual ambiguity, both sculptors took care to construct clear and expressive forms.
Nunzio presented three new pieces under the title “Passagi” (Passage). In the room dedicated to his work he arranged a pair of oak tables that he had blackened by burning.