The late Annibale Oste was one of Naples' most celebrated sculptors and designers; his workshop is now a small gallery-archive showcasing some of his works, including whimsical light sculptures, vases, and fantastical furniture pieces spanning 2001 to 2010. The venue, charming in itself, is now lovingly run by his artist children, Mariasole and Vincenzo. Vincenzo's striking contemporary jewellery is also on display (and for sale).
Deemed a visionary by his peers, Annibale Oste breathed a sense of energy and playfulness into materials as diverse as bronze, steel, wood, alabaster and glass. His use of fibreglass in the 1970s was lauded as pioneering, and his creations – which include a storage unit that evokes a deliciously giant chocolate block – are an extraordinary symphony of textures, shapes and colours. Interestingly, the building's courtyard was once used for staging plays, with the workshop's office used as a changing room by local actors. Among them was a young Totò, who would go on to become one of Italy's greatest comic film stars.
If you plan on visiting, it's always a good idea to email ([email protected]) or call ahead to ensure that someone is there to let you in.
