Studio Ponis: The Crystal and the Flame — Exhibition, 21 & 22 June 2025

Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 June 2025
11.00–18.00
8 Smart’s Place, London, WC2B 5LW

I sometimes paint and draw subjects which are not architecture so I have the pleasure of drawing something which has the combination of geometric and informal lines. What Italo Calvino calls the crystal and the flame—the straight line and the free one—the combination of these two elements in the Sardinian landscape is very frequent. The rocks and vegetation are very informal, extravagant, imaginative and then there are the straight lines of the horizon over the sea, and of the building lines.—Alberto Ponis 

On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June, Drawing Matter presents an exhibition of two early projects in Sardinia by Studio Ponis (Alberto Ponis and Annarita Zalaffi). The exhibition will focus on drawings from the collection for the Yacht Club Path (1965) and Casa Scalesciani (1977), including material that Drawing Matter has not previously published. Alongside drawings, we will be showing two short films by Team Shichai, originally made for the exhibition ‘Drawing Landscape’ at Tongji University (2023).

The exhibition will also include a collaborative drawing made during Kirsty Badenoch’s recent workshop in the archive, and a photobook of images documenting the drawing’s creation. Kirsty will join us in the archive on Saturday afternoon for visitors who would like to meet her.

To open the exhibition, on Friday 20 June at 18.30, we are pleased to welcome Annarita Zalaffi, Jonathan Sergison, Irina Davidovici, and Alex Pillen to the archive for a conversation chaired by Niall Hobhouse about the projects of Studio Ponis in Sardinia, and Alberto and Annarita’s working relationship. Purchase a ticket for the event here.

Casa Scalesciani, 1977. Photo: Alberto Ponis.
Preliminary studies for Casa Scalesciani, 1974. Ink on graph paper. DMC 3899.2.
Design for the Yacht Club, Punta Sardegna, c.1965. Graphite and ink on tracing paper, 500 × 697 mm. DMC 3898.5.

About Drawing Matter Open Days

Drawing Matter Open Days and Weekends offer the public opportunities to experience the collection, which is usually only open to researchers by appointment and for workshops. Open Days are open to all and we encourage anyone with an interest in architecture, design and drawing to come along. 

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