Amy Thompson
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Lot 20AR
Pier Paolo Calzolari(Italian, born 1943)Untitled
1973
1973
Amended
27 June 2018, 17:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £40,000 inc. premium
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Pier Paolo Calzolari (Italian, born 1943)
Untitled
1973
signed and dated 1973 on the reverse
salt, lead, iron, plastic, nut, wax and paper laid on board
31.5 by 41 by 11 cm.
12 3/8 by 16 1/8 by 4 5/16 in.
1973
signed and dated 1973 on the reverse
salt, lead, iron, plastic, nut, wax and paper laid on board
31.5 by 41 by 11 cm.
12 3/8 by 16 1/8 by 4 5/16 in.
Footnotes
This work is accompanied by a photo-certificate of authenticity signed by the artist.
Provenance
Galleria Gentili, Florence
Acquired directly from the above by the previous owner
Thence by descent to the present owner
A central figure in the Italian Post-War movement Arte Povera, Pier Paolo Calzolari's works, such as lots 20 and 21 from 1973-1974, are unique in their approach; maintaining a dialogue with past art historical traditions whilst also exploring a new type of art using unconventional, non-traditional materials to create a concept and aesthetic that had never been seen before.
Born in Bologna in 1943, Calzolari spent most of his childhood in Venice where, like generations of artists before him, he was enthralled by the magical Venetian light, which became an enduring element of his oeuvre. He returned to Bologna in the mid-1960s where he staged his first exhibitions before travelling to the United States. He would participate in the Venice Biennale on three separate occasions and was included in Documenta IX, Kassel in 1992. He has also been the subject of major solo exhibitions at the Galerie Nationale Jeu de Paume, Paris and the Castello di Rivoli, Turin.
Arte Povera meaning 'poor art' was coined by Germano Celant in 1967 due to the group's penchant for atypical materials, rejecting the art historical traditions that had come before them, particularly in Italy where priority was given to oil and fresco paintings and marble sculpture. The group, which included the artists Jannis Kounellis, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Alighiero Boetti, Giuseppe Penone, Giovanni Anselmo, Marisa Merz and Mario Merz, explored the use of a wide variety of previously untapped materials such as lead, tobacco, salt and nuts as in the present works. Arte Povera's influence would be felt around the globe, with parallel movements developing in Japan's Mono-ha movement as well as strains of post-Minimalism and Conceptual Art in the United States.
Calzolari has spent much of his career exploring the use of light, a pursuit that undoubtedly grew out Calzolari's time spent in Venice. In studying light, one naturally begins to think about fire, and many of Calzolari's works, including the present two, involve the use of candles. Yet, the works don't require an active, burning candle; rather, the candles have been previously evident, leaving whispers of smoke and drippings of wax, alluding to their burning light. Whilst candles are one of the oldest light sources, Calzolari also employs neon, a relatively new invention in the early 1970s, that produce a constant glow of colour. Yet neon, like candle light, is not easily constrained, casting a halo glow of neon that reflects on the world around it filling the space with a steady hum. Neon, like fire, can assert its presence without being there at all. It is this ability to play with intangible materials, that allows Calzolari to bridge the gap between the material and immaterial creating works that are ethereal, temporal and mysterious.
There are also allusions to the ancient past in these two works. A fascination with alchemy, the ancient protoscience that saw mankind try to grasp the formula for liquid gold or eternal life, would inspire Calzolari's choice of materials. Here we see materials known for their use in alchemical formulas: the vestiges of fire, salt, lead, tobacco leaves and the shells of nuts. The use of candles as part of the production, sees a connection with Italy's rich Catholic tradition, with many of his candles coming directly from parish candle suppliers. Equally, lot 21 places tobacco leaves above two horizontal neon tubes, suggesting inverted angel wings above a pseudo altar.
Bridging the gap between the past and future, the tangible and elusive, Calzolari's works explore the newly liberated definition of art whilst keeping ties to history. The two present works, coming to market for the first time, are singular examples of Arte Povera's ground-breaking approach that produced works that are captivating, thought-provoking and profoundly unique.
Saleroom notices
Please note that the correct title of this work is 'Studio'.
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