The Peggy Guggenheim Collection pays tribute to Ileana Sonnabend (Bucharest 1914 – New York, 2007), formidable gallerist and collector of contemporary art, with an exhibition focused on the Italian component of the Sonnabend collection. More than 60 works, comprising paintings, sculpture, photography and installations, by Italian and international artists, which reference Italian culture, tradition, and topography. The exhibition will showcase the works of the masters of Arte Povera, such as Pistoletto, Zorio, Calzolari, Merz, Anselmo and Kounellis, together with artists such as Fontana, Rotella, Manzoni, Festa and Schifano.

Also included are works by American artists Twombly, Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, Morris and Koons and an array of international photographers, such as Höfer, Sugimoto, Esser and the Bechers. Ileana Sonnabend’s love of Italy is the thread that ties the works in this exhibition, a love which was expressed through her dedication to building this collection.

The exhibition is organized by Antonio Homem, director of the Sonnabend Gallery, New York, and Philip Rylands, director of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.