The same distinctive atmosphere that animated the Casa Rossa at Minusio, which was both home and studio to the sculptor Bruno Nizzola, can still be felt there today, mainly because of the conservation work carried out over several decades by the poet Angelo Casè, author of important critical works on both Nizzola and Uehlinger.

The relationship between the two artists is particularly interesting, not only due to their close friendship but also from the artistic point of view. It is not just the reciprocal influences that long-standing proximity can create, from a predominantly moral point of view beyond any figurative similarity there may be in their work, but also the attention centred round the status of the artist per se and his role in society. A good example of this is the rest home for elderly artists that Nizzola and Uehlinger designed, a project which never saw the light of day, though they collaborated on many different occasions.

Thus, a further aim of the exhibition is to highlight the existence of a wider artistic circle, which - owing mainly to Uehlinger's open and friendly nature - included other prominent figures of the period, in particular from the German Swiss area such as Rudolf Maeglin and Karl Roesch.

The exhibition explores the extensive material and family archive consisting of many letters and autograph documents which Elena Casè Uehlinger - daughter of the sculptor and wife of the poet - generously made available for research purposes.

The last important shows of work by Nizzola and Uehlinger date back to over twenty years ago (Nizzola: Locarno, Città di Locarno-SPSAS 1983; Uehlinger: Minusio, Centro culturale Eisarion, 1984, both curated by Angelo Casè). So the time is ripe to revisit the work of these two diverse artists, both from the Locarno area The exhibition will propose a significant selection of high quality works: Nizzola's work exhibits a gentle lyricism tinged with atmospheric values, and reminiscent of the best tradition of Lombard impressionism (for example, Franzoni). On the other hand, Uehlinger is faithful to the Classical style of sculpture, marked on the one hand by the influence of a modern synthesis of volumes, but on the other by a sensitive psychological study of the model, revealed through the use of chiaroscuro and modelling.