Creativity, especially conceptual art, is grounded in the idea that it's not necessarily the object itself that defines value or meaning, but rather the interaction between the object and the viewer—creating a dynamic and unique relationship each time. The artwork thus becomes a meeting point between the artist's intent and the audience's personal experience: this relationship is where its true essence lies.

But who is the artist who brought this concept to center stage in a way many did not hesitate to call provocative?

Salvatore Garau, born in Santa Giusta, Sardinia in 1953, began his artistic career as the drummer of the progressive rock band Stormy Six before fully dedicating himself to painting and conceptual art. His training at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts and his musical background profoundly influenced his creative vision, leading him to explore themes such as absence, emptiness, and immateriality. Garau conceives art not as simple representation, but as a stimulus for reflection and a continuous questioning of the reality around us.

Io Sono (I Am) is perhaps the artist's most discussed and iconic work. Sold at auction by Art-Rite in Milan in 2021, it consists of an empty space measuring 150x150 cm, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and specific instructions on how to “display” it: in an obstacle-free environment, free of any objects that might interfere with the perception of emptiness. Garau himself stated that the work expresses a “void full of energy,” a concept that draws from quantum physics and Eastern philosophy, where nothingness is pure potential and the origin of everything.

The buyer of the work, who remained anonymous, essentially purchased a possibility: the privilege of imagining, interpreting, and bringing a sculpture to life in their own mind and space. In other words, pure “conceptual” art that challenges the traditional idea of creativity as a physical object to be admired, shifting the focus instead to thought, perception, and experience.

As expected, the sale of "Io Sono" (I Am) provoked controversy. Many viewed it as a publicity stunt, a fleeting provocation. Others, however, appreciated the depth of Garau's reflection, seeing it as an invitation to rethink the value we assign to things we cannot see but still intensely perceive and experience. After all, isn’t it true that art—like love or memories—can be deeply felt even in the absence of tangible forms?

"Io Sono" (I Am) is not an isolated case in the Sardinian artist’s body of work. Garau has created other immaterial pieces, such as Buddha in Contemplation and Aphrodite Weeps—installations marked only by simple boundary lines or ground indications. These works compel the viewer to become an integral part of the piece, completing it with their imagination and personal experience, thus assigning it a unique and unrepeatable meaning.

In a world where art risks being reduced to mere financial investment, Garau reminds us that works come to life only through the audience that observes, feels, and discusses them. Meaning, therefore, doesn’t reside in the artist’s mind or the physical object on display—it takes shape in dialogue. I Am is a bold invitation to look beyond appearances, to feel more than to see, and to recognize that often what we cannot touch can leave a lasting impression on our memory and our heart.