The Italian Cultural Institute in Stockholm officially inaugurates the first phase of the large-scale outdoor exhibition "Blowing Figures Into Space" by the Italian sculptor Davide Rivalta on April 21st during Stockholm Art Week, with the unveiling of a lion at Mynttorget — a site closely associated with royal representation and state symbolism.

Rivalta is internationally renowned for his monumental, naturalistic sculptures of wild animals – lions, wolves, rhinoceroses, buffaloes and horses – installed directly in public spaces without pedestals. Through this gesture, a subtle shift occurs: the animals appear as if they have temporarily reclaimed the urban environment. The second part of the open-air exhibition in Stockholm, starting in late August 2026, will include another twelve animal sculptures installed in some of the city’s most symbolic and historically significant locations: Hagaparken and Norra Djurgården. The inauguration will take place in the presence of the artist Davide Rivalta. H.E. Michele Pala, Ambassador of Italy to Sweden, and Francesco Di Lella, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Stockholm, will deliver opening remarks. The project is produced by the Italian Cultural Institute in Stockholm in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Stockholm and C.M. Lerici Foundation. Partners of the project are the Royal Palace, The Royal Parks and the City of Stockholm.

The Italian Cultural Institute in Stockholm is an office of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs dedicated to promoting Italian language and culture in Sweden. Each month the Institute offers a wide array of cultural events spanning from art exhibitions, concerts, panel discussions and book presentations, with the goal of showcasing a variety of cultural expressions to the Swedish public. The Italian Cultural Institute is situated on Gärdet in a building designed by architect Gio Ponti in 1958, a unique symbol of impeccably conservated Italian architecture and a museum of 1950’s design aesthetics.