Gió Marconi Gallery in Milan will host 'Phantom Banter', the first Italian solo exhibition of American sculptor Ron Nagle, from May 29 to July 24, 2026. The show features eleven ceramic sculptures created between 2024 and 2026, along with a selection of recent drawings, highlighting Nagle's process-oriented practice focused on material, surface, and language. Nagle, born in San Francisco in 1939, is a key figure in the California Clay Movement, having apprenticed with Peter Voulkos in the 1960s and influenced by Ken Price. His small-scale works, rarely exceeding 15 centimeters, explore reduction of scale and surface construction through cast and fired ceramics combined with resins and synthetic materials.
The exhibition matters because it marks a significant moment for Nagle's recognition in Italy, following his participation in the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013. It offers a concentrated view of his recent output, emphasizing the central role of drawing in his sculptural process—a shift that began in the 1990s. The show underscores Nagle's enduring influence on contemporary ceramic sculpture and his unique approach to transforming everyday observations into meticulously crafted, image-like objects.