Broken: The Power of the Fragment at Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy, examines the sculpture's life after it has been damaged or divided. Organized in partnership with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the show brings together more than 80 objects that challenge the idea of a fragment as a mere ruin. Instead, it presents these pieces as autonomous works that carry their own distinct aesthetic and historical weight.

The selection spans thousands of years, featuring artifacts from Ancient Egypt, Classical Greece, and premodern cultures in Mexico and Cambodia. These historical pieces sit alongside works by Renaissance masters like Giovanni Pisano and Michelangelo, as well as modern and contemporary figures including Auguste Rodin, Louise Bourgeois, and Danh Vo. The display includes significant loans from international institutions such as the Louvre in Paris and the British Museum in London.

The narrative explores various reasons behind a work's fragmentation, from natural disasters like the 1966 Florence flood to deliberate acts of iconoclasm and war. By looking at these objects through a new lens, the exhibition highlights how a physical break can become a starting point for imagination and new meaning, bridging the gap between ancient history and contemporary sculpture.

A sophisticated survey for those who appreciate how history and damage shape art, offering a rewarding perspective on sculpture beyond the idea of completeness.

Start in the central courtyard to see the site-specific intervention before moving through the galleries, which are organized to draw parallels between disparate cultures and time periods.