On the occasion of the second centenary of the artist's death, Mart is celebrating the legacy of one of the most important sculptors of all time - Antonio Canova (1757 - 1822). This large exhibition explores the modern relevance of his work in contemporary languages, from photography to more recent sculptural work, highlighting links, dialogues, continuity and juxtapositions.

Canova’s work encapsulates the eternal beauty ideal founded on principles of harmony, proportion and balance. Packed with references to the past, his quest was open to the future, leaving an aesthetic ideal legacy which has survived to our own day. With its over 200 works, the exhibition enquires into the influence this legacy has had on contemporary lexicons, showcasing some of the most significant artistic trends in the photography and sculpture spheres. This quest for a beauty ideal is taken in a range of different directions along the exhibition itinerary, from emulation to celebration, questioning and rejection.

In an exhibition dominated by black and white, the true centre-stage player is the body. Whilst some of the artists exhibited have chosen to idealise and aestheticise it, others have opted for an unconventional and ‘anti-Canovian’ beauty concept which contemplates and embraces its opposite. In both cases, the body is iconic.

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