Wild Souls | S. Benedetto – C. Giraudo

PUNTO SULL’ARTE is pleased to inaugurate WILD SOULS, a double solo exhibition featuring sculptor SIMONE BENEDETTO and painter CLAUDIA GIRAUDO in a dialogue that intertwines play, nature, and carefree spirit. The OPENING RECEPTION will be held on SATURDAY, MAY 16 at the gallery’s main location on Viale Sant’Antonio 59/61 in Varese. The artists, hailing from Turin, along with curator Alessandra Redaelli, will be present.

This exhibition pairs two artists who, despite their vastly different languages, share an exploration of childhood and its connection to our most authentic essence through the relationship with nature. On one side, we have Claudia Giraudo, a long-time artist of PUNTO SULL’ARTE, beloved for her polished, timeless painting. On the other side, Simone Benedetto, presented in the gallery last September, showcases his fresh and immediate sculptures of children at play, reminiscent of snapshots.

Giraudo offers another chapter in her narrative about pre-adolescence as a magical age where boys and girls can still hear the voice of their guiding animal. Her portraits are imbued with magic, such as the young girl beside a cow, sporting bovine ears as if she too is transforming, or the almond-eyed girl with a leopard cub perched on her head, seemingly merging with her. Beautiful, light, and elusive, Giraudo’s girls gaze into our eyes as if calling us to listen to the authentic voice of our instincts. Similarly, Benedetto’s children remind us of play as a means of self-discovery, poised to leap like lions or appearing ready to take flight like birds. In his works, large beastly heads merge with faces, creating an illusion of a single soul. His recent pieces introduce plant elements: cherry branches transform into deer antlers, while large monstera leaves mimic elephant ears, reflecting a quest for one’s most authentic self and wild soul that captivates and involves us.

The opening reception will be held on SATURDAY, MAY 16, from 11 AM to 1 PM at the main headquarters located at Viale Sant’Antonio 59/61 in Varese. The artists and curator Alessandra Redaelli will be present.

The exhibition will remain open until Saturday, June 13, 2026.

Simone Benedetto was born in Turin in 1985 and built his solid academic foundation by graduating with honors from the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in the Sculpture and Plastic Arts section. The search for one’s identity, along with profound themes of childhood and play, form the central pillars of his work. His creations are not merely aesthetic objects but the result of carefully calibrated gestures and technical mastery that lend a surprising realism to the figures. A distinctive element of his work is the figure of the child transforming into an animal, a powerful metaphor for the complex psychological transformation that occurs in each of us during the crucial development of personality. Through the meticulous precision of each sculptural gesture, the artist captures and gives tangible form to that universal sensation of change and inner transformation that we all experience from childhood. Benedetto’s sculptures transcend mere representation, acting as genuine stimuli for reflection on complex and delicate themes—social, existential, and human issues—addressed with an authentically original and innovative perspective. Thanks to his remarkable versatility, Simone Benedetto has explored and mastered the use of various materials, including concrete, resins, silicones, and classic bronze. His works have gained widespread recognition, evidenced by exhibitions in prestigious venues such as Domus Lascaris and Palazzo Saluzzo in Turin. He has actively participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions both nationally and internationally; at PUNTO SULL’ARTE, he was part of the group exhibition “<20 15×15/20×20” (2024) and featured in the solo show “In-Wild” (2025). He lives and works in Turin.

Claudia Giraudo engages in a highly refined pictorial exploration; nothing in her work is ever rushed, nothing escapes, but everything—each character and setting—seems to enjoy a peace born from a slow acceptance of time as a precious gift, never to be wasted and to be savored in its gradual unfolding. In her emblematic scenes, rich in symbolism and elevated references yet light and fresh, the soul becomes a Daimon and appears alongside “its” person as if we suddenly discovered ourselves endowed with a third eye. Claudia Giraudo was born in 1974 in Turin. She graduated in 2001 with top honors from the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin, under the guidance of Prof. Franco Fanelli. She embarks on her research journey in the field of figurative painting, training through the study of the works of Renaissance and Northern European Masters; this background emerges both in her technique and in her choice of subjects while maintaining her personal stylistic signature. She frequently exhibits at art fairs, private galleries, and public institutional venues, including the National Etruscan Museum Villa Giulia, the Carlo Bilotti Aranciera Museum at Villa Borghese in Rome, the Polo del 900 in Turin, the Jewish Museum in Bologna, The Artist House in Tel Aviv, and the Casa del Conte Verde Museum in Rivoli. Her works are also found in permanent collections and national and international museum acquisitions, including the Harmony Art Foundation in Mumbai (India), the MACIST Museum in Biella, the Eusebio Museum in Alba (CN), the Bossolasco Council Chamber (CN), and the Civic Museum of Bevagna (PG). She lives and works in a small town in the Asti region.