In 2021, Italian artist Salvatore Garau made headlines after selling an invisible sculpture for a staggering $18,000. The artwork, titled “Io Sono” — which means “I Am” in Italian — doesn’t exist in any physical form. Instead, it’s described by the artist as being made of air and spirit.
According to Garau, the sculpture is not “nothing,” but rather “a vacuum full of energy.” He explained that even when we empty a space, energy still exists within it, and this invisible presence is what gives shape to the sculpture. In essence, the art exists only in the mind of the observer.
The buyer did not receive any visible object, only a certificate of authenticity and specific instructions on how to “display” the artwork — in a 5-by-5-foot space, free of any obstructions.
Garau’s concept sparked both fascination and disbelief around the world. Supporters praised it as a bold statement about modern art and the power of imagination. Critics, however, dismissed it as a publicity stunt, questioning how something that can’t be seen or touched could hold any monetary or artistic value.
This wasn’t Garau’s first invisible creation. Earlier that year, he exhibited another unseen sculpture in Milan’s Piazza della Scala — a roped-off, empty square where visitors gathered to observe… nothing.
