Arnaldo Pomodoro: Inspired by John Glenn and the relevant now

This work was, in essence, an homage to John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. It was featured in Pomodoro’s significant solo exhibition of 1963, held at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.

Omaggio al Cosmonauta n. 2 represents a pivotal moment in Arnaldo Pomodoro’s artistic development in the early 1960s. The title translates to “Homage to the Cosmonauts,” referring to the Russian term for space travelers, or, as Pomodoro likely intended, “sailors of the universe.” Created in 1962, when the artist was in his mid-thirties, the sculpture reflects his fascination with the tension between a perfect exterior form and a fractured interior space. At this stage in his career, Pomodoro was deeply engaged in technical experimentation with bronze and drawn to themes of modernity, scientific progress, and futuristic aesthetics, inspired by the excitement surrounding the space race. This is an important work within the context of his career, created at a time when he was striving to engage with more serious subject matter.

Now, over 60 years later, its relevance remains alive, as the Artemis expedition has renewed interest in the history of space travel, its current purpose, and the optimism of near-future goals in space exploration.