Moore and Malaparte

There is in nature a limitless variety of shapes and rhythms from which the sculptor can enlarge his form-knowledge experience.
—Henry Moore

Gagosian is pleased to announce Moore and Malaparte: Rhythm and Form, an exhibition of small-scale sculptures and drawings by Henry Moore in dialogue with three pieces of furniture from Casa Malaparte, two of them exclusive designs. Opening at 9 rue de Castiglione on January 22, 2025, the presentation draws unexpected connections between sculptor and designer, including a fascination with crafting organic forms in tune with the natural world and an immersion in the interaction of these objects with their architectural settings.

A giant of modern sculpture, Moore reveled in the relationship between art and its environment. In Moore and Malaparte, this connection is brought to life in domestically scaled bronze sculptures featuring themes that recurred throughout the artist’s career. Works such as Reclining Figure (1945) and Seated Woman Holding Child (1982) are shown atop reproductions of furniture from Casa Malaparte, revealing surprising but unequivocable affinities between Moore’s and Malaparte’s approaches to design. Works on paper in ink, pencil, watercolor, and other materials, including Women Winding Wool (1949) and studies for three-dimensional works such as Two Sculptural Ideas (c. 1984), further enrich this dialogue. Many of Moore’s works also reveal an enthusiasm for organic forms and elemental sites, underscoring his perception of the natural world’s concrete reality as the root of abstract explorations—a vision that resonates with Malaparte’s.