Lucio Diodati
“Harlequin and other stories” Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery Columbus Center 901 Lawrence Avenue West TORONTO - Canada
1 - 31 October 2012
Harlequin and other stories Š 2011 Lucio Diodati Published by Lulu.com ISBN 978-1-4709-5861-9
February 17, 2011 Opening personal exhibition at the Galerie BREHOVA - Praha (Czech Republic)
“Harlequin and other stories” a rewiew by Francesca Renzi Women are the protagonists of mysterious tales and the painter feels like their keeper and at the same time he feels like their storyteller. Sunny shores where women lend theemselves to the keen illusion of the lines which dress them, catch their glances and become the limits of infinite spaces like the sky, the sea. Diodati’s paintings) are populated by new cathacter, ready to create mysterious and suggestive situations araaund women. Exotic zebras and sensuous felines will be women’s plunders, of their istinctive craze for figure, for dare until the extreme luxury. Furs, daring and zebrine clothes complete Diodati’s dreamy feminine figures, characters of his poetic world where men are not left out, but they are only spectators, funny and ingenuous presences. With their coloured plumes, the Carabinieri show up; they sneak into this space which they know isn’t their own place; they are victims and accomplices of an artist who makes painting an art without an age, free to live through his women. Sometimes with shyness, sometimes with a roguish curiosity, a male figure appears behind women who sorround him, who charm him... Arturo, this is his name, appears in guise of a tamer. Outwardly he is a funny and haarmless fellow; women are under his waatchful eye. The first time we met him he seemed an impeccable man, proud in his uniform, of his uniform. In the last works he appears to be in perfect harmony with his sphere. It seems that the dangerous felines and the fascinating women have finally and completely won over him. The irregular features of his face and the nice dark strip above his lips hold now an important feature: awareness. Always a lesser character, he became now the master of his own space. There is no more a contrast between his uniform and women’s clothes, on the contrary, it seems that it is intentionally mixed with women’s more precious accessories. Women’s haats suddenly appear on Arthur’s head, who doesn’t get ruffled, but quite the opposite, he seems satisfied to partecipate, not only to be there. Unlike the other characters who populatethe world of women, Arlecchino has already got his own space in Diodati’s works. A new space, a differeent space that charms us. In fact, Arlecchino doesn’t need to conquer the scene, he doesn’t wish to become its protagonist. He already is the protaagonist. While the Carabinieri and Arturo the taamer have fascinated us with their discretness, with their veiled e all, with his mask. The mystery is this character’s distinctive element and his involving power For the first time Diodati covers up one of his figure’s face, making us accomplices of a mysterious and sometimes erotic game. There is erotism in women who appear close to Arlecchino. There is erotism in their way to appear so sure and intentionally provocative toward a person we don’t know who it is, if a man or a woman, a friend or a lover. The simply way in which women live with this coloured figure make us think about it. A deeper, more provoking reflection makes us wonder if there is just the paiter behind that mask... Is it Diodati, who wants to appear in his artistic world, even if hidden? His spell is in holding in a mask the segret of a more and more innovative painting, of an art which pierces us, which allows us to pretend, which is what we like most... to be ourselves behind that mask, to be able to live in the infinite and sparkling places of art.
Works exhibited
8
Dirtelo e non dirtelo 2005 oil on canvas 100x80 Enigmatic figures often surround Diodati’s female universe. In this picture the moustached tamer seems to have emerged from a remote ‘Barnum’. Perhaps he is the suppressor of peevish behaviours?
10
Il gatto e il topo 2005 oil on canvas 100x80
12
Non è nel cuore 2005 oil on canvas 100x80 The woman appears to be under a magic spell, listening to mysterious voices, awaiting revelations from high above. These indicate, along with the light – the other great protagonist of Diodati’ s painting - a process of dematerialisation, in dialectic contrast with the erotic leitmotif following modern women in contemporary society.
14
Arrancame la vida 2008 oil on canvas 60x100
16
Com’è dolce la sera 2008 oil on canvas 50x60 The artist’s iconism stems from refined aesthetic values, which rather than giving in to the temptations of realism, turn to the blurring of real perception and the joyful acceptance of the fantastical. Colour mesmerizes the viewer, who, while observing the painting, senses the movement of creation mark.
18
Estoy como nunca 2008 oil on canvas 60x100 Since the mid-eighties, when Harlequin first appeared amongst Diodati’s compelling crowd of women, the eternal muses of an evocative iconography, the figure has never abandoned the artist’s pictorial universe.
20
Rosa la peligrosa 2008 oil on canvas 60x100
22
Sahar 2008 oil on canvas 50x60
24
Bianco e nero 2009 oil on canvas 60x50
26
Con te 2009 oil on canvas 60x50 Chromatism of optimism, in the breath of time outside time, which, under the illusion of a fairy tale, leads us to seek an intimate connection between painting and poetry, a thread that links the arts together so as to uncover an artist intent in revealing the female enigma.
28
Equilibrio precario 2009 oil on canvas 80x60
30
La cosa giusta 2009 oil on canvas 60x80
32
Magico treno 2009 oil on canvas 60x80
34
Nessuno sa 2009 oil on canvas 60x80 A peaceful femininity emerges from this image, though at times the same slender, geometric yet voluptuous figures and their long ‘Modiglianesque’ necks evoke a mysterious sphere.
36
Portatemi via 2009 oil on canvas 70x80
38
Qualche cosa di te 2009 oil on canvas 70x80 The serenity with which Diodati’s women live alongside the colourful, recurring figure makes us reflect and wonder whether it is in fact the painter who hides behind Harlequin’s masque.
40
Quante volte 2009 oil on canvas 70x80
42
Solo cielo 2009 oil on canvas 80x70
44
Solo con voi 2009 oil on canvas 80x70 The scene presented by the artist is of a figure-filled stage, immersed in a dream-like reality. Here the female figures, while gazing at a sensuous Mediterranean light, absorb the pictorial space, thus becoming the scene’s ‘Prima Donna’. Diodati’s women are sunny, droll, naughty yet naïve, deep in their own sense of wonder, depicted from multiple viewpoints as they move on fictitious stages. Though ‘simple’ women, they are capable of subjugation with their mere, innocent existence.
46
Solo io 2009 oil on canvas 80x70
Recent works Protagonist are the colours performed by nameless women. Everything is surrounded by a spaceless and timeless light, which doesn’t belong to a real place, but still familiar. The one who observes, from the lion tamer to the web surfer, will find in this light the right mood to interpreter a mouldable and not totally absolute message. You can see whatever you want in Lucio Diodati’s works. One of the undeniable fact: you always feel the taste of life. The taste of life in all its colours.
50
Il vecchio leopardo 2002 oil on canvas 80x100
52
Ulli e Silke 2003 oil on canvas 60x80
54
Dormi e sogna 2004 oil on canvas 160x100
56
L’ombra del sole 2004 oil on canvas 160x100
58
Ma la notte no 2004 oil on canvas 160x100
60
Spaghetti con vongole 2004 oil on canvas 60x80
62
Al di lĂ del muro 2006 oil on canvas 120x100
64
Amore rubato 2006 oil on canvas 120x100
66
L’angelo azzurro 2006 oil on canvas 120x100
68
La tavola 2006 oil on canvas 100x120
70
Portami a ballare 2006 oil on canvas 120x100
72
Angelo azzurro 2007 oil on canvas 100x100
74
Domenica pomeriggio 2007 oil on canvas 100x100
76
Io me ne vado 2007 oil on canvas 100x100
78
Io sono qua 2007 oil on canvas 100x100
80
Tempo di serenata 2007 oil on canvas 100x150
82
Cioccolatino 2008 oil on canvas 30x40
84
Cuore matto 2008 oil on canvas 50x60
86
Mi raza negra 2008 oil on canvas 60x100
88
Ho paura 2009 oil on canvas 35x50
90
La nuvola 2009 oil on canvas 35x50
92
Mercanti di sogni 2009 oil on canvas 35x50
94
Non guardarmi cosĂŹ 2009 oil on canvas 60x100
96
Quando piove 2009 oil on canvas 70x80
98
Scriviamo d’amore 2009 oil on canvas 70x80
100
Solo amore 2009 oil on canvas 70x80
102
Adesso tu vai via 2010 oil on canvas 100x100
104
Carole 2010 oil on canvas 40x40
106
Como te lo digo 2010 oil on canvas 120x100
108
Dirlo no 2010 oil on canvas 100x100
110
Ho voglia di vederti 2010 oil on canvas 80x100
112
Non possiamo chiudere 2010 oil on canvas 120x100
114
Rosa 2010 oil on canvas 80x100
116
Sogno di te 2010 oil on canvas 80x100
118
Tiziana 2010 oil on canvas 40x40
120
Turchese 2010 oil on canvas 40x60
122
Un’altra notte 2010 oil on canvas 120x100
124
Vivo di te 2010 oil on canvas 80x100
126
La trota 2011 oil on canvas 100x80
128
Lara 2011 oil on canvas 40x40
130
Stabilimento Marechiaro 2011 oil on canvas 70x60
132
Na lo puedes negar 2011 oil on canvas 100x100
1955 Lucio Diodati was born in Popoli on 24th October 1970 He attended a scientific secondary school, then courses in scene painting at the Academy of Fine Art in L’Aquila 1980 He exhibits his work at the “Festival Due Mondi” in Spoleto (Italy) 1985 He paints “Amiche” 1999 He meets Gennaro Fidia and exhibits his work in his gallery in Roma 2000 Solo show in Aquila (Italy) 2001 He exhibits his work in Parma and Reggio Emilia (Italy) 2002 He goes to Havana in Cuba for a cultural exchange between Italy and Cuba He exhibits in Salerno and Potenza. (Italy) 2003 Solo Exhibition Parma, Casarano (Italy), Rimini, Bologna and Greenville (USA) International Artexpo New York and Art-Philadelphia (USA) Will be in the streets of Havana. He will be telling smiles and colors of the cuban women, he will be painting in a 20 meter canvas Collective Exhibition Barcellona (Spain) 2004 Solo Exhibition Modena, Stavern(Norway) and Sandefiord (Norway) International Artexpo New York (USA) Artexpo Vicenza, Viterbo, Montichiari, Padova, Bolzano and Bari (Italy) 2005 Solo Exhibition Roma (Italy) Artexpo Genova, Viterbo, Forlì, Parma and Bari (Italy) Collective Exhibition Dubai 2006 Solo Exhibition Potenza (Italy) Affordable art fair London Art & Fashion ‘06 - BurJuman - Dubai 2007 Solo Exhibition Piacenza and Parma (Italy) art fair - London and Glasgow (Scotland) Collective Exhibition Spittal/Drau (Austria) La Plata (Argentina) Artexpo Longarone, Agrigento and Forlì (Italy) 2008 Solo Exhibition Colorno, Marano, Positano, Manfredonia, Parma, Bari, Pescara, Catania (Italy) Stavern (Norway) and Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) Artexpo Bari, Reggio Emilia and Erba (Italy) art fair - Gant (Belgium) 2009 Solo Exhibition Pratola Peligna (Italy), Stavern (Norway), Montreal (Canada) Artexpo Bolzano, e Forte dei Marmi (Italy) art fair Glasgow (Scotland) 2010 Solo Exhibition Napoli, Corigliano Calabro (Italy), Lisbon (Portugal) the art in mind - London 2011 Solo Exhibition Roma, Albignasego, Crecchio, Lamezia Terme, Rivisondoli (Italy) Praha (Czech Republic) Heidelberg (Germany) Collective Exhibition Campione d’Italia,Treviso, Reggio Emilia, Forlì (Italy) Global Artists at Home and Abroad - New York (USA)
Copyright Š 2011 Lucio Diodati
www.luciodiodati.com