Fatti a mano
Nicola Lazzari
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Nicola Lazzari
Fatti a mano
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SLADMORE contemporary
32 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London W1J 6NW · Tel +44(0)20 7499
www.sladmorecontemporary.com0365
Nicola Lazzari
Fatti a mano
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“Fatti a mano” serve a ricordare come sono stati fatti questi bronzi.
The point of this title is to explain that, despite the many years that have gone by, the creative ability of my own hands still fills me with a complete sense of wonder.
Poetry, which we cannot even begin to touch in art or in any other kind of craft, without using a combination of our heart and hands.
Serve perché nonostante siano passati molti anni, la capacità di queste mie mani mi riempie ogni volta di Lestupore.mani che lavorano la cera devono essere a volte calde a volte ferme, altre ancora fredde. Comunque pazienti perché il pensiero é veloce, la mano no.
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Un titolo serve per riassumere una storia.
Poesia che non può essere nemmeno sfiorata se, a mio avviso, l’artista o l’artigiano non usa le mani oltre al Servecuore.questo titolo, anche, a ricordare le maestranze al cui fianco lavoro a Pietrasanta. Artigiani che sono eredi di un’antica sapienza manuale.
E ultimo, ma non per questo meno importante motivo, questo titolo testimonia la mia affinità con tutti gli altri artisti della galleria Sladmore nella quale Edward e Nona Horswell e Gerry Farrell da molti anni difendono le nostre mani.
The purpose of the title is to summarise the story.
The meaning of this title is to remind us that we live in times that prefer speed, concept, abstract ideas and even horror, rather than poetry.
“Fatti a mano” – handmade, explains how these bronzes were made.
Fatti a mano ‘Handmade’
In the end, this title serves to remind me of my affinity to all the artists represented by the Sladmore, where Edward and Nona Horswell and Gerry Farrell have been sheltering our hands for many years.
Serve, questo titolo, a ricordare che siamo nell’epoca che predilige la velocità, il concetto, l’idea, a volte l’orrore, alla poesia.
These hands that work on the wax need to be sometimes warm, sometimes firm, and at other times cool, but always patient – for thought is fast but my hands are not.
The other meaning of this title is for me to acknowledge the contribution of all the craftsmen in Pietrasanta, who I have been working side by side with over the last few months, the bearers of an ancient wisdom.
This selection of bronzes is the fruit of two years’ work by Nicola Lazzari. Trinity Fine Art has encouraged him in this endeavour, sensing perhaps that there is a strong connection between his work and the long Italian tradition of the making of small bronzes. Whilst totally modern in concept, the works display a sensitivity to the material and a deceptively simple inventiveness, which seem to us to relate closely to objects from earlier times, specifically the sixteenth century.
One of the points of departure in the creation of these works was Bernard de Montfaucon’s L’Antiquite expliquee et representee en figures (Paris, 10 vols., 1719), a highly influential series of volumes, illustrated throughout with numerous engravings, describing the ways, manners and artefacts of the Ancient World. Of particular interest to us is volume V, which is entirely dedicated to antique oil lamps; many of those included are, in fact, not of antique Roman origin but are now known to have been taken from sixteenth century originals, products of the workshops of Andrea Riccio and his followers, amongst others. These sixteenth century models were undoubtedly themselves inspired by antique prototypes, and thus, amusingly, the cycle of invention and reinvention from the Ancient World to the Modern Age is completed with our little exhibition. Evidently Lazzari’s works are not copies of lamps illustrated by Montfaucon and only two of the works exhibited here (Boule and Conchiglia) show any direct dependence on objects described by the erudite scholar. Lazzari has, however, clearly responded to the pagan air that pervades many of the engravings, and, indeed, the title of our exhibition, ‘Curiosities’, in part stems from the often strange juxtaposition of objects found in Lazzari’s work, again reminiscent of the ‘antique concoctions’ and delightful inventions found among Montfaucon’s volumes.
Nicola first showed his sculpture in London at our near neighbours Trinity Fine Art in Bruton Street. There can be no finer introduction to his work than this learned and revealing foreword by John Winter, written for their first catalogue. John, who sadly died in December 2014, was one of the founders of Trinity Fine Art, which was established in 1984. Prior to that he was a president of Sotheby’s Italy and a director of Sotheby’s in London. All of us in the art world and in this area particularly miss him greatly.
An introduction by John Winter
Two different worlds meet in Lazzari’s work. Firstly, there is the Italian tradition of the representation of objects from nature, straightforward depictions of birds and animals, lacking the often overplayed drama of the romantic treatment of the same subject in nineteenth century. He seems, instead, to be looking back to the animal bronzes (frogs, toads, lizards, serpents, insects) of the Paduan workshops of the early sixteenth century, continued later in the same century with the wonderful birds and domestic fowl,
Alongside this naturalism runs a totally diverse current, altogether more Northern in feeling, that pervades some of the compositions with their faintly sinister air: the male heads on the series of Scatole, reminiscent of medieval fountains with jesters, or half-formed gargoyles taken from Gothic edifices; the seated monkeys placed uneasily on protruding ledges; and, finally, the very choice of the birds themselves (the owl is the bird of the night, whilst the beautiful hoopoe is also seen in Italian tradition as a harbinger of death).
In this world the ‘Curiosities’ begin to take on the aspect of a wunderkammer, a deliberately strange mixture of the magical and natural realms, worthy perhaps of the Prague of Rudolph II.
conceived on an altogether grander scale yet retaining a distinctly homely aspect, produced by Ammanati and Giambologna for the grotto of The Medici Villa at Castello.
Finally, and surprisingly, the very ‘slightness’ of these works is pleasing. In a post-Romantic world, the term has taken on a derisive meaning when applied to works of art, and this is reflected in the quest, shared by many collectors, for supposedly ‘significant’ objects. Yet ‘slightness’ is often all-important in the making of small bronzes for the material is a powerful one and can easily overact, becoming a tedious and repetitive performer. Bronze responds to understatement, lightness of touch and a sensitivity to the way light plays over its hard surface. ‘Small’, too, is an important word when applied to the sculptures shown here; for Lazzari’s ‘Curiosities’ were clearly conceived to be small, thus avoiding the wearisome changes of scale that can be so disturbing when large-sized sculpture is reduced to mantelpiece proportions. In this again, he is following in the tradition of the makers of piccoli bronzi of the sixteenth century.
Indeed, Nicola Lazzari’s world stems from exactly this rich mixture. He has had a cosmopolitan upbringing pervaded with the Renaissance, Italian sunshine and the beauty of the Maremma, whilst at the same time family ties take him back to the altogether more somber and Gothic world of central Europe.
The fusion of counterbalanced cultures clearly imbues the ‘Curiosities’ with their sense of mystery. Yet at the same time there is an air of light-heartedness and a pleasingly ironic tone which leavens the mixture, releasing it from an excessive sense of significance; an aspect reflected in the two self-portraits of the artist on show, one of which is a homage to the great Riccio himself, famously portrayed in a small bronze, wearing a beret. Similarly, the series of objects reproducing keyholes gives an elegant and humorous sense of looking through to another world, enhanced by the deliberate use of over-fussy neoclassical ornament, which, displayed out of context, takes on the air of a series of objets trouves
1. Home Sweet Home, ‘Casa Dolce Casa’ 2” H x 7” W x 7” D 13
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2. Third Night, ‘La Terza Notte’ 14” H x 35” W x 4.5”15D
3. Untitled, ‘Senza Titolo’ 4.5” H x 2.5” W x 3.5” D
4. Star Collector, ‘Raccoglitore Di Stelle’ 12.5” H x 10.5” W x 14”17D
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5. Sleeping Donkey (After Jacques Prevert), ‘L’Asino Dormiente (Dopo Jacques Prevert)’ 8” H x 8” W x 7” D each19
6. Oasis, ‘Oasi’ 16.5” H x 10.5” W x 14.5” D 20
21 7. Untitled, ‘Senza Titolo’ 12” H x 4” W x 4” D each
22 8. ‘Contrappunto No. 1’ 14.5” H x 12” W x 5” D
23 9. Standing Alone, ‘Solo’ 12” H x 4.5” W x 4.5” D
24 10. ‘Canone Orientale No. 2’ 14.5” H x 12.5” W x 4” D
11. Dreamer, ‘Sognatore’ 15.5” H x 12.5” W x 4” D 25
26 12. Untitled, ‘Senza Titolo’ 6” H x 4.5” W x 4.5” D
13. Untitled, ‘Senza Titolo’ 5.5” H x 4.5” W x 4.5”27D
14. ‘Canone Orientale No. 1’ 5” H x 12” W x 3” D 28
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15. ‘Canone Orientale No. 3’ 15.5” H x 12” W x 4” D 30
16. Cockerel Napkin Ring,
‘Gallo’ 5” H x 3.5” W x 2” D
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17. Hen Napkin Ring, ‘Gallina’ 4.5” H x 2” W x 2” D 32
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18. Fish Napkin Ring, ‘Pesce’ 3” H x 2” W x 2” D
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19. Owl Napkin Ring, ‘Gufo’ 4” H x 2” W x 1.5” D 36
20. Lift to Paradise, ‘Ascensore Per Il Paradiso’ 9” H x 4” W x 3.5” D 37
21. Heron, ‘Airone’ 9” H x 4” W x 3.5” D 38
22. Large Flamingo, ‘Grande Fenicottero’ Clay original illustrated 69” H x 20” W x 20” L 39
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WITH THANKS TO:
Francesco Mutti who cast the pieces at his foundry in Pietrasanta (Lu), Beatrice Speranza , photographer, who took the photos in the studio, Arrigo Coppitz, photographer, who took the photos of the sculptures, and Alba Morassutti, photographer, who took the photo of me on the gallery website.
GIORNO DA GERANIO” acquarelli, tempere e sculture, (introduzione di Rosetta Loy), GALLERIA DOCUMENTA, TORINO, 1997
PAESAGGIO MEDITERRANEO” (testo di Josef Kroutvor, Fulvio Dell’Agnese, Giorgio Soavi), GALLERIA NOVY SVET, PRAGA, 1999
NICOLA LAZZARI E’ NATO A FIRENZE IL 19 APRILE 1957. VIVE E LAVORA A LUCCA ESPOSIZIONI
“METEORE E LONTANANZE” acquarelli (introduzione di Francesco Musotto, testo di Cesare Garboli), PALERMO, GALLERIA ELLE ARTE, 2003
DIPINTI 1984-85 (Testi di Henry Berg – Antonella Serafini – Daria Sanminiatelli), GALLERIA DOCUMENTA, TORINO, 1985
COMUNE DI MARIGNANA, pitture, sculture, acquarelli, (introduzione di Simona Poletti, testo di Fulvio Dell’Agnese), MARIGNANA, Pezzini editore Arte, 2003
“AI MARGINI DELL’APPIA” tempere, disegni, acquarelli, sculture (testo di Edoardo Albinati), GALLERIA IL TEMPIETTO, BRINDISI, “TRAMONTO,1998IL
“LETTERS FROM HOME”, tecniche miste (introduzione di John Winter, testo di Pia Pera), TRINITY FINE ART, LONDRA, 2008
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“CURIOSITIES” bronzi (introduzione John Winter), TRINITY FINE ART, LONDRA, 2006
ARTE alla BADIA, SCULTURA e PITTURA, (introduzione di Maria Borsacchi, testo di Antonella Serafini), 1997, COMUNE di “ILCAMAIOREMIOPRIMO
NOTE BIOGRAFICHE
“FAVOLA BREVE”, acquarelli, bronzi (testo di Edoardo Testori), GALLERIA IL TEMPIETTO, BRINDISI, 2006
NICOLA LAZZARI, bronzi (testo di Oliver Wootton), SLADMORE GALLERIE, LONDRA, 2009
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“PICCOLO SALTO NEL BUIO”, bronzi, tecniche miste, acquarelli (introduzione Philippe Esteves Mendes, testo di Olga Spanio), GALLERIA MENDES, PARIGI, 2010
GALLERIA “IL LEPRE” Bronzi, PIACENZA, 2012
“L’ESILIO DELLE NINFE”. Tre artisti fuori rotta : Nicola Lazzari, Vito Tongiani, Ivan Theimer (testo di Massimo Bertozzi), CIRCLE GALLERY, AMSTERDAM, 2010
“CATASTE” disegni, sculture (introduzione di John Winter, testo di Nicola Lazzari), TRINITY FINE ART, LONDRA, 2012
VIVITA, WALLACEDAVICO,DOCUMENTA,FIRENZETORINOTORINOCOLLECTION, LONDRA CASTELLO DI MESOLA, FERRARA IL TEMPIETTO, BRINDISI SLADMORE GALLERIE LONDRA LE THEMUSE,ANDRIAARTBOX,VICENZAARTEALLABADIA,CAMAIOREGALLERIA“PAOLARAFFO”,PIETRASANTA
“SE CEZANNE FOSSE MIO PADRE E DE PISIS MIO CUGINO…”, tecniche miste, acquerelli, bronzi (testo di Rosaria Fabrizio) GALLERIA LE MUSE, ANDRIA, 2012
COLLETTIVE :
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www. sladmorecontemporary.com