40 Women Sculptors for International Women's Day
As it's International Women's Day today, I thought it might be appropriate to post something about an exhibition celebrating the work of 40 women sculptors who have lived and worked in Pietrasanta during the last fifty years.
Whatever you think of gendered events, (and I know many of the women here are very ambivalent about them) it's difficult to turn down the opportunities that positive discrimination sometimes presents. The work featured in this exhibition is extremely varied in style and subject matter and the sculptors come from almost every part of the world, including USA, Italy, Norway, Venezuela, Russia, Europe, and Japan.
They were all interesting, and I had my own personal preferences, but here are some that I found really interesting. Sadly, one of my favourites, 'Dancing in the clouds' by American Shelley Robzen, can't be shown because it was highly polished black marble in a spotlighted situation which didn't photograph. In fact, it was difficult to get any good photos at all, given that the church 'St Agostino' has no natural light.
My favourite artist of the older group, Alicia Penalba (from Buenos Aires) died in 1982. Her 'Trilogie' - the three bronze figures standing at the entrance to the church, is really beautiful.
The gesso maquette for Grand Gisant reminded me of dinosaur vertebrae.
Again in the older group, the Italian Fiore de Henriquez who died in 2004, had a strange, almost feral bronze figure, full of quite violent life. It's called 'Ippogrifo' - the Hippogriff.
I loved this small, alien landscape with its lonely figure by American Jill Watson who now lives near Pietrasanta. It's called Giardino - garden.
This relief, by Swiss artist Maja Thommen, looks simple, but is incredibly intricate. She's a very interesting artist who paints, creates installations and also performs with a gypsy punk band. It's called Donna Velata - veiled woman.
Dutch sculptor Margot Homan exhibited this bronze figure of a women holding her finger to her mouth - Il Silenzio. It's very finely balanced.
There were some images that I found quite disturbing, including this male, almost zombie-like figure by young Italian artist Elena Bianchini.
Altogether a fascinating exhibition. I'd have loved to do a creative writing workshop with it!
Whatever you think of gendered events, (and I know many of the women here are very ambivalent about them) it's difficult to turn down the opportunities that positive discrimination sometimes presents. The work featured in this exhibition is extremely varied in style and subject matter and the sculptors come from almost every part of the world, including USA, Italy, Norway, Venezuela, Russia, Europe, and Japan.
They were all interesting, and I had my own personal preferences, but here are some that I found really interesting. Sadly, one of my favourites, 'Dancing in the clouds' by American Shelley Robzen, can't be shown because it was highly polished black marble in a spotlighted situation which didn't photograph. In fact, it was difficult to get any good photos at all, given that the church 'St Agostino' has no natural light.
My favourite artist of the older group, Alicia Penalba (from Buenos Aires) died in 1982. Her 'Trilogie' - the three bronze figures standing at the entrance to the church, is really beautiful.
The gesso maquette for Grand Gisant reminded me of dinosaur vertebrae.
Again in the older group, the Italian Fiore de Henriquez who died in 2004, had a strange, almost feral bronze figure, full of quite violent life. It's called 'Ippogrifo' - the Hippogriff.
I loved this small, alien landscape with its lonely figure by American Jill Watson who now lives near Pietrasanta. It's called Giardino - garden.
This relief, by Swiss artist Maja Thommen, looks simple, but is incredibly intricate. She's a very interesting artist who paints, creates installations and also performs with a gypsy punk band. It's called Donna Velata - veiled woman.
Dutch sculptor Margot Homan exhibited this bronze figure of a women holding her finger to her mouth - Il Silenzio. It's very finely balanced.
There were some images that I found quite disturbing, including this male, almost zombie-like figure by young Italian artist Elena Bianchini.
Altogether a fascinating exhibition. I'd have loved to do a creative writing workshop with it!
What a marvellous exhibition.
ReplyDeleteYou've actually reminded me I took a pile of photos at the NGA Sculpture Garden a few weeks ago. I must see if any are worth posting.