Modern Art Takes Over Cernobbio in Open-Air Exhibition

Cernobbio has officially opened its latest cultural event, Il viaggio del rinoceronte e il paradosso del tempo, an open-air exhibition by Italian sculptor Stefano Bombardieri. The exhibition runs until 5 October 2025 and features a series of large-scale animal sculptures installed throughout the lakeside town.

Promoted by the Comune di Cernobbio in collaboration with Galleria GALP and curated by Anna Lisa Ghirardi, the project places Bombardieri’s works along the lungolago (Via Regina) and inside the GALP gallery space. The initiative aims to bring contemporary art into public spaces, making it accessible to a broad audience, including both residents and tourists.

Known for his dramatic and often surreal sculptures of animals, Bombardieri uses this exhibition to explore themes of time and perception. The works are placed in contrast with the natural setting of Lake Como, creating a visual and conceptual dialogue between the art and the environment.

The exhibition is part of a broader effort to strengthen Cernobbio’s cultural programming and attract visitors beyond the traditional tourist season. It also reflects a growing trend across Italy to integrate contemporary art into urban and outdoor settings.

The World of Bombardieri: Between Force and Fragility

Renowned for his monumental sculptures and deeply symbolic language, Stefano Bombardieri explores the concept of time through larger-than-life representations of wildlife—rhinoceroses, elephants, flamingos, and gorillas—caught in unexpected postures and moments of vulnerability. These creatures are not simply decorative or whimsical. Instead, they serve as powerful allegories of contemporary life, confronting viewers with themes of environmental fragility, existential reflection, and the paradoxes of modern existence.

Bombardieri’s rhinoceros, a recurring figure in his oeuvre and now a near-iconic emblem of his practice, stands at the heart of this project. The animal’s journey—physical, temporal, and psychological—guides the viewer through a symbolic expedition that traverses historical references, philosophical musings on time, and a cinematic flair inspired by Fellini’s surrealism.

A City-Sized Gallery: Art Meets Urban Space

Lake Como’s Cernobbio is no stranger to artistic beauty, with its neoclassical villas, leafy promenades, and serene waterfront views. Yet this exhibition introduces a more introspective layer. Sculptures emerge unexpectedly along the lakeside or within the urban fabric, inviting visitors into a space of contemplation. Works such as Il peso del tempo sospeso/Rhino and Tribute to SITE physically embody the weight and tension of time itself, while the accompanying video installation—created specifically for this exhibition—adds a multimedia dimension to the narrative.

Il viaggio del rinoceronte e il paradosso del tempo is free to the public and can be visited at any time. Visitors are encouraged to explore the outdoor installations and gallery components for a complete experience.

Practical Information

When: Until October 5, 2025

Where: Cernobbio, Via Regina and lungolago area (piazza Risorgimento)

Organisers: Comune di Cernobbio & Galleria GALP

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