A woman and artist of great creativity and versatility in twentieth-century Sardinia, to whom time is finally doing justice: it is no coincidence that the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever dedicated to the painter, illustrator and pioneer of island design Edina Altara is coming to Nuoro , in a journey curated by Giuliana Altea and hosted at the Spazio Ilisso in via Brofferio 23 , where it will remain on display until 2 May 2027. With the name of Altara accompanied in the title by " A modern fantasy " – to underline her visionary talent – the inauguration is expected this Saturday at 11am .
Altara is in fact a very original figure, even if not yet fully recognized in the artistic panorama of the Italian Short Century, thanks to his ap A transversal approach that transcends the hierarchical canons between major and minor arts , combined with a strongly decorative language and a cultured yet naive imagery. And although numerous previous exhibitions have been dedicated to her, each of them has remained limited to partial collections: but now, the Nuoro museum offers a comprehensive selection also based on the most recent studies , and in particular on the volume by Altea " Edina Altara. Painter, illustrator, decorator ", published last year by Ilisso, in an exhibition made possible also thanks to the twenty-year research and collection carried out by Altara's great-grandson, Federico Spano .
"A modern fantasy" aims to represent every single creative area of the Sassari artist, thus including the colored paper collages , the ceramics created for Lenci and other companies in the sector, the illustrations for magazines and books created alone or in collaboration with her partner Vittorio Accornero , almost completely intact, the postcards and advertising boards and scented calendars , the fashion sketches and paintings , created by her on board, blackboard and even crystal. The exhibition also documents the cardboard toys created by Altara in her early days and now lost due to their fragility, thanks to period photographs, among which are some images taken under Altara's direction , where she is portrayed in imaginative clothes designed by her : further proof of her strong artistic identity, aimed at embodying her own personal ideal of style.
But the heart of the exhibition also includes the artistic partnership with the architect Gio Ponti, which lasted a decade and is recounted for the first time in such an extensive way , through furnishings, mirrors and painted panels conceived as parts of ships, furniture and environments designed by the Milanese designer. Altara also published articles and drawings in the magazines " Beauty " and " Style " created by Ponti, with Ponti himself presenting his production in " Domus " with great praise: among the works, the door of the Lucano house in Milan (1951), a fantasy residence proposed by the architect as an idea of freedom in interior design. Also on display are Ponti's "drawn" letters and two portraits of him signed by Altara.
Curated by Altea, which received contributions from Antonello Cuccu for the exhibition project and from Artigianato & Design for the installation, the initiative is being realised with the support of the Fondazione di Sardegna , and is also accompanied by a catalogue published by Ilisso Edizioni .