Antonino Virduzzo (March 21, 1926 – April 23, 1982) was an Italian sculptor born in Greenwich Village, New York, to Sicilian parents. In 1932, he moved back to Sicily with his parents to Comiso.

Education and Career

Between 1932 and 1952, Virduzzo immersed himself in artistic studies: the School of Art in Comiso (stone sculpture), the Artistic High School in Florence, the Accademia Albertina in Turin (painting), the Casorati Painting School (painting), and the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome (engraving) in 1949. His studies were often interrupted by travels abroad, particularly to the United States, where he emigrated in 1946. Between 1946 and 1949, Alexandre Jolas exhibited him at the Hugo Gallery in New York. During the period 1947-1949, he worked in the merchant navy and traveled between America and Europe before returning to Italy in 1949.

In 1950, Virduzzo supported the creation of the Stable Gallery in New York and was exhibited at the Bodley Gallery in 1951. He also taught at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Catania, Sicily, and organized artistic exchanges between Italy and the United States.

Works and Techniques 

Between 1952 and 1955, Virduzzo lived in France, where he opened himself to new artistic adventures, experimenting with geometric abstraction and color transparency. He created numerous stained glass windows and participated in many exhibitions in France, notably at the Sables-d’Olonne Museum and in Nice.

Between 1955 and 1962, he created lithographs whose colors were close to Mondrian's geometric painting and engaged in artistic experiments close to Pop Art. In 1956, he held his first solo exhibitions in Rome (Galleria L'incontro) and Tunis (Galleria L'Atelier). In 1957, he spent several months in France and exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris with the help of the Galerie de France (Exhibition "Comparaisons").

In 1958, he participated in the XXIX Venice Biennale. In 1959, he held exhibitions in Turin, Rome, Paris, and Alexandria. In 1960, he was invited by the National Chalcographic of Rome to exhibit in America, as well as in Japan, China, India, the Netherlands, Germany, and Scandinavia.

Exhibitions and Awards 

In 1962, he published a monograph of his engravings and received the International Grand Prize for Printmaking at the XXI Venice Biennale. He was also present at the International Tokyo Biennale. Between 1961 and 1964, he created a large fresco in mixed technique titled "Hiroshima." From 1962 onwards, he produced his first bas-reliefs and sculptures.

In 1966, he exhibited in Heidelberg in honor of the 200th anniversary of Italian graphic artists. From 1967, he worked on integrating his work into public spaces and created monumental sculptures for schools, universities, and administrations.

In 1971, he held a retrospective of his work under the auspices of the President of the Italian Republic. In 1972, Ellegi, an Italian publication, dedicated an entire issue to his works.

Notable Exhibitions 

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Austria
Forumstadtpark, Graz, 1968

France
Galerie de Beaune, Paris, 1964 and 1965
Galerie Le Lutrin, Lyon, 1966
Centre d'art Cybernétique, Paris, 1967
Le Lac Bleu, Charavines, 1968

Iceland
Solo Exhibition, Reykjavik, 1970

Italy
Galleria L'Incontro, Rome, 1956
Galleria L'Immagine, Turin, 1959
Galleria il Fondaco, Messina, 1962
XXXI International Art Biennale, Venice, 1962 - International Grand Prize for Printmaking
Studio d'Arte Contemporanea, Florence, 1967
Galleria Godel, Rome, 1967
Galleria Arcana, Rome, 1971

Japan
Yasu Gallery, Osaka, 1965
Yoseido Gallery, Tokyo, 1968

Mexico
Pecañins Gallery, Mexico, 1968

Tunisia
Galerie l'Atelier, Tunis, 1956

Legacy 

Antonino Virduzzo is recognized for his contributions to geometric abstraction and kinetic art. He also worked on integrating his art into public spaces, creating monumental sculptures for schools, universities, and administrations. He passed away in 1982 in Rome.