Serpentine is delighted to present Thoughts in the Roots, the most comprehensive institutional exhibition of Giuseppe Penone presented in the UK. On view from 3 April to 7 September 2025, the exhibition will be staged at Serpentine South and extend beyond the gallery to feature sculptures in the Royal Parks.

Thoughts in the Roots brings together works from 1969 to the present, illustrating Penone’s enduring fascination with the interplay between organic and artistic processes. A leading figure in the Arte Povera, Penone experiments with a wide range of materials including wood, iron, wax, bronze, terracotta, marble, and plaster, bringing their individual physical qualities to the fore.

The exhibition embodies the key principles of Penone’s work, namely the synergy between artistic and natural process, and the poetic relationship between humans and the environment. Through a series of sculptures and installations, visitors will encounter the delicate yet powerful ways in which Penone reveals nature’s hidden structures, rhythms, and gestures.

Reflecting on the exhibition, Penone states: "All of my work is a trial to express my adherence and belonging to nature, and it is with this thought that I have chosen the works for the exhibition. The two paths that I have created—inside the gallery and outside of it, in the park—become two integrated gardens."

Thoughts in the Roots is curated by Claude Adjil, Curator at Large; and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director with Alexa Chow, Assistant Exhibitions Curator.

Image: Giuseppe Penone, Respirare l’ombra (To Breathe the Shadow), 1999 Wire mesh, laurel leaves, bronze Total dimension determined by the space Installation view Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Photo © Archivio Penone