An Italian artist recently made headlines with a sale that pushed the boundaries of conventional art. Salvatore Garau, a Sardinian-born artist, sold an invisible sculpture for over $18,000, leaving many in the art world and beyond questioning the very nature of art and value.
The sale, organized by the Italian auction house Art-Rite in May, saw Garau’s piece, titled “Io Sono” (I Am), go to an unidentified buyer. The invisible sculpture was initially estimated to fetch between $7,000 and $11,000, but the final price soared to $18,300, reflecting the growing interest and curiosity surrounding such unconventional art forms.
Garau’s work was not just about the absence of physical form but the presence of imagination. In a statement, he explained that the vacuum, or the empty space, is actually full of energy. According to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, even ‘nothing’ has weight. This energy, he argued, condenses and transforms into particles, essentially making up everything, including us.
“You don’t see it, but it exists; it is made of air and spirit,” Garau said in a video. He likened his work to the concept of God, a powerful entity that many believe in despite never having seen it.
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The “air and spirit” sculpture was intended to be contained in a 5-by-5-foot square. It was designed to be displayed in a private space without artificial lighting or climate control. This requirement emphasized the need for a pure and unadulterated environment, enhancing the spiritual and imaginative experience of the piece.
Garau’s work challenged viewers to engage their imagination, a faculty he believed everyone possesses, even those who doubt it. “It is a work that asks you to activate the power of the imagination, a power that anyone has, even those who don’t believe they have it,” he stated. This aspect of his art pushed the boundaries of traditional art forms, making the invisible sculpture a significant talking point in contemporary art circles.
This was not Garau’s first foray into invisible art. Earlier, he exhibited “Buddha In Contemplation,” another invisible sculpture, at the Piazza della Scala in Milan. More recently, he installed “Afrodite Piange” (Aphrodite Weeps) facing the New York Stock Exchange. These works continued to build on his theme of immateriality and the unseen.
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Garau’s sale came at a time when NFTs (non-fungible tokens), unique digital assets verified using blockchain technology, were gaining popularity. Christie’s sold the first NFT by the artist Beeple for a staggering $69.3 million. Sotheby’s was also set to auction off the world’s first known NFT. This rise in digital and immaterial art forms highlighted a significant shift in the art market and the perception of value and ownership.
One notable advantage of Garau’s invisible sculpture was its eco-conscious nature. With a carbon footprint of net-zero, it stood in stark contrast to many traditional art forms that can have significant environmental impacts. This aspect of his work added a modern, sustainable twist to his artistic philosophy.
The sale of Garau’s invisible sculpture marked a new chapter in the art world, challenging conventional notions of what constitutes art. It opened doors for other artists to explore and possibly replicate this concept. Whether invisible art would become a mainstream trend or remain a unique niche remained to be seen.
To ensure the credibility of his work, Garau provided the buyer with a certificate of authenticity. This document served as proof that the invisible sculpture, though unseen, was a legitimate piece of art, adding a layer of intrigue and validation to the sale.
