THE OILS OF INFLUENCE GANZO | VIA DE’ MACCI 85/R | FIRENZE | NOV 6 - DEC 3, 2019
THE OILS OF INFLUENCE
Opening Wed November 6, 2019 from 6pm from November 6 to December 3, 2019
GANZO Via dei Macci 85/R Firenze
ganzoflorence.com
The Oils of Influence, an exhibit that features the painter Antonia Comi, will be on display from the 6th of November until the 3rd of December at the Florence University of the Arts’ student-run restaurant and exhibit space Ganzo, located in Florence in via De’ Macci 85/r. Brushstrokes subtly apply neutral tints; navy blues, intertwined with mulberry purples on a canvas’ surface slowly forming the features of a woman lost in thought. Her gaze directed towards the ground, her elegance adorning the lobe of her ear; a white pearl earring emerges out of the darker background. Her skin is translucent and its paleness softens her ageing appearance. All of these are artistic choices made by Antonia Comi to form a finished portrait that is aligned to her personal preferences. Born in the North-East of Italy, in Friuli, Alice Antonia Comi is a portrait painter on the quest for her stylistic singularity—a pathway that all painters and artist must undergo to find their individual touch. Antonia Comi was trained at the Angel’s Academy of Florence, under the guidance of Michael John Angel, an artist formed by the renowned Pietro Annigoni. Remembering her Academy years Antonia Comi recalls having to spend many hours at the studio creating realistic studies of casts and following a very rigorous classical training that emphasized technical skills rather than personal experimentation. Throughout her paintings Antonia Comi demonstrates an appreciation for dream-like individuals, whose gaze is directed inwards, as if reaching for some untold truths.
The Oils of Influence, della pittrice Antonia Comi, sarà in mostra dal 6 novembre al 3 dicembre nello spazio espositivo Ganzo, il ristorante laboratorio creativo di experiential learning di Apicius – The International School of Hospitality, in via de ‘Macci 85 r. Le opere pittoriche proposte accoglieranno il pubblico fiorentino ed internazionale con le particolari pennellate della Comi, in tinte neutre, colori blu e viola - gelso, a formare lentamente i lineamenti di donne perse nei propri pensieri. Sguardi verso il basso, eleganza, un orecchino di perla bianca che emerge dallo sfondo più scuro, un pallore che ammorbidisce un viso un po’ provato dal tempo... Tutte queste sono scelte artistiche di Antonia Comi per i suoi ritratti, personalissimi, originalissimi. Nata nel nord-est dell’Italia, in Friuli, Alice Antonia Comi è una ritrattista ancora all’infinita ricerca di una sua singolarità stilistica, arduo percorso a cui tutti i pittori e artisti devono sottoporsi per trovare un proprio tocco personale e riconoscibile, oltre che riconosciuto. Formatasi artisticamente all’Angel Academy of Art di Firenze, sotto la guida di Michael John Angel, un artista formato dal grande Pietro Annigoni. Durante gli anni dell’Accademia, Antonia Comi ricorda di essersi concentrata soprattutto in studi realistici sui calchi, seguendo una formazione classica molto rigorosa che le ha sviluppato più competenze tecniche piuttosto che una vera e proprio possibilità di sperimentazione personale. Nei tanti dipinti in mostra la Comi dimostra una predisposizione per personaggi onirici, il cui sguardo è diretto verso l’interno, anziché all’esterno, quasi alla ricerca di verità nascoste nel quadro stesso.
3
Maria Oil on canvas 2019 40X50 4
Portrait study in darkness 1 Oil on canvas 2017 30X25 5
Portrait study in darkness 2* Oil on canvas 2017 28X35 6
Portrait study 3 Girl with earring* Oil on canvas 2016 25X40 7
Portrait study 4 three quarters* Oil on canvas 2016 24X31 8
Portrait study 5 three quarters* Oil on canvas 2016 23X29 9
The artist’s father Oil on canvas 2019 40X50 10
Self portrait Oil on canvas 2019 25X35 11
Portrait study 6 Gothic girl Graphite on paper 2016 24X34 12
Portrait study 7 Graphite on paper 2017 24X34 13
Portrait study 8 Girl with hat Graphite on paper 2014 24X34 14
El Nagual Charcoal on paper 2014 30X40 15
Verrazzano/Bargellini Palace | Garden view I Oil on canvas 2019 40X30 16
Verrazzano/Bargellini Palace | Entrance from garden Oil on canvas 2018 30X40 17
Versavano/Bargellini Palace | American Vine Oil on canvas 2019 15X18 18
Verrazzano/Bargellini Palace | Garden view II Oil on canvas 2019 24X31 19
Verranno/Bargellini Palace | Entrance Oil on canvas 2019 25X33 20
Studio Bargellini Oil on canvas 2019 30X20 21
Via Guelfa 85 Oil on canvas 2019 25X35 22
Bargue copy Head of child Graphite on Canson paper 2013 35X50 23
Cast drawing David’s nose and mouth Charcoal on Roma paper 2013 33X49 24
Cast drawing The Horse Charcoal on Roma paper 2014 50X60 25
Copied from John S. Sargent: Nude Egyptian Girl Oil on canvas 2015 40X50 26
Copied from John S. Sargent:* Portrait of Rosina Ferrara Oil on canvas 2017 24X40 27
Cast painting “Gris-eye” Oil on canvas 2014 40X30 28
BIOGRAPHY Antonia Comi is an Italian painter born in Friuli, in the North-East of Italy, in December 1982. She studied classical drawing and painting at the Angel Academy of Art in Florence with Michael John Angel and Jered Woznicki. In her works, she is highly inspired by realist painters of the 19th and 20th centuries, in particular by the great portrait artists Pietro Annigoni and John Singer Sargent. She’s a drawing and painting instructor at FUA-AUF Florence University of Arts – The American Unicversity of Florence and lives and paints in Florence. BIOGRAFIA Antonia Comi è una pittrice italiana nata in Friuli, nel nord-est dell’Italia, nel dicembre 1982. Ha studiato disegno classico e pittura all’Angel Academy of Art a Firenze con Michael John Angel e Jered Woznicki. Nelle sue opere si ispira fortemente ai pittori realisti del XIX e XX secolo, in particolare ai grandi ritrattisti Pietro Annigoni e John Singer Sargent. È docente di disegno e pittura alla FUA-AUF Florence University of the Arts – The American University of Florence e vive e dipinge a Firenze.
30
GANZO ART GALLERY is the interactive gallery of Ganzo School Restaurant. All GANZO exhibitions are planned, organized, and managed by gallery and curating course students under the supervision of the FUA faculty. Exhibitions feature the works of artists from the local community from both Italian and international backgrounds. Artists and Collectors, to propose exhibitions or to inquire about the pricing of displayed works, please see the contact info below. GANZO ART GALLERY è lo spazio espositivo di Ganzo School Restaurant. Tutte le mostre in esposizione al suo interno sono progettate e organizzate dagli studenti dei corsi di gallery and curating presso la FUA Florence University of The Arts, sotto l’attenta supervisione dei docenti di FUA. Le mostre presentano opere di artisti della comunità locale, sia italiana che internazionale. Per artisti e collezionisti, per proporre mostre o per avere informazioni sui prezzi delle opere esposte, scrivici:
exhibitions@fua.it facebook.com/GanzoFlorence
GANZO Art Gallery Via dei Macci 85/R Firenze 32
ganzoflorence.it
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | RINGRAZIAMENTI
THE OILS OF INFLUENCE
Opening Wed November 6, 2019 from 6pm from November 6 to December 3, 2019
CATALOG AND EXHIBIT CURATION AND INSTALLATION Gallery and Exhibition Curating Ruby Anderson Elizabeth Avina, Sonny Helms Leah Laycock Mackenzie Looft Elisa Palumbo Gallery and Exhibition Curating Experiential Learning Natalia Hryniuk Sophia Moffa Anna Giulia Tonetto Anel Tulegenova Instructor: Andrea Mancini Digital Graphics Illustration MacKenzie Looft (Cover Design) Instructor: Andrea Mancini GANZO Exhibit Coordinator Andrea Mancini
APICIUS International School of Hospitality
GANZO School Restaurant The Creative Learning Lab