You need the key to open this selection - curated by Flavio Scaloni

A curation by Flavio Scaloni, Gallery Manager at Galerie Lo Scalo - I'm pleased to introduce this selection of works built around the evocative theme of The Key. This ubiquitous object is a powerful inspiration for artists because it fundamentally symbolizes access, freedom, knowledge, and mystery. Psychologically, the key or keyhole implies secrecy, transition, or the unlocking of the unconscious mind. It is the physical manifestation of a crucial choice or discovery. In art history, particularly since 1950, the key has moved beyond classical symbolism (like the Keys of St. Peter) into psychological and surrealist territory. The most famous modern precedent is the work of René Magritte, whose paintings often feature impossible locks or keys, exploring the relationship between object and representation. A notable example is his pre-1950 work, The Key to the Fields (1936), though his influence endures. More directly post-1950, the Pop artist Claes Oldenburg has frequently utilized keys in his sculptures and drawings, reinterpreting the mundane as monumental. His famous large-scale sculpture The Yale Key (1973) transforms the simple, everyday object into an architectural and humorous statement about institutional access and power. Contemporary artists in this collection use keys and keyholes to tell new stories.