Everson Museum of Art Presents Nanni Valentini: Interspaces
A landmark exhibition reintroducing to American audiences Valentini’s groundbreaking work: a pioneering Italian artist who redefined ceramics as fine art.
In collaboration with Italian cultural partners: Nanni Valentini Archive, Savona Ceramics Museum Foundation, and ABC-ARTE Genova/Milano.
Syracuse, NY – The Everson Museum of Art will have the exhibition Nanni Valentini: Interspaces, on view May 2 through September 6, 2026, marking an opportunity to experience one of Italy’s most influential postwar ceramic artists to American audiences.
First introduced to the United States through the Everson’s historic 1958 Ceramic International exhibition, Valentini quickly emerged as a transformative voice in contemporary ceramics. His work was noticed by Italian artist Lucio Fontana and challenged the boundaries between functional pottery and fine art, positioning ceramics within a broader conceptual and artistic discourse.
Interspaces traces Valentini’s evolution over several decades, from his early roots in traditional pottery to his later groundbreaking works that blur the lines between painting, sculpture, and material experimentation. In the 1960s and 1970s, Valentini began creating wall-based and conceptual ceramic works, including his influential Trasparenza series, which explored surface, space, and the relationship between object and environment.
This exhibition highlights Valentini’s enduring impact on contemporary art and reaffirms the Everson’s long-standing role as a leader in advancing ceramics as a critical medium within the fine art canon.
“The Everson has a unique history of championing artists who push the boundaries of ceramics,” said Elizabeth Dunbar, Director & CEO of The Everson. “Bringing Valentini’s work back into focus not only honors that legacy but also invites new audiences to experience how ceramics can function as a conceptual and deeply expressive art form.”
The exhibition was overseen by Flaminio Gualdoni, an Italian art historian, known as the most acknowledged critic on Nanni Valentini’s work, co-curated by Garth Johnson (Ceramics Curator, Everson Museum of Art), with Luca Bochicchio (Scientific Director, Savona Ceramics Museum).
In 2027, Interspaces will migrate to Italy, to be shown at ceramics museums in Savona and Albisola, along with other major venues in the country.
An international book featuring catalog essays by contributors from the museums and institutions involved will also be published.
The Everson is supported by the General Operating Support program, a regrant program of the County of Onondaga with the support of County Executive, J. Ryan McMahon II, and the Onondaga County Legislature, administered by CNY Arts; and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Exhibition Details
Title: Nanni Valentini: Interspaces
Dates: May 2 – September 6, 2026
Location: Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse, NY
