© Galleria d'Arte Maggiore G.A.M. | Giorgio Morandi and Robert Ryman, Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles
OBJECT/ SPACE
Giorgio Morandi and Robert Ryman
opening by invitation only on September 16th
September 19th- October 31st2015
Galleria d'Arte Maggiore G.A.M. from Bologna, Italy and Kohn Gallery from Los Angeles, California are pleased to present a new comparison between the historical and contemporary art, that shows how the great italianmaster Giorgio Morandi keeps on influencingsome of the most important and international artists of today, like Robert Ryman. The two artists, sparated by age, trends and geography, appear to be closely similar in their artistic research, showing the deep connection that links them by creating a language which is both sinthetic and beautifully evocative. Thesimiliarities between themare shown in the exhibition Object/Space, which will take place in Kohn Gallery (1227 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA) from September 19th through October 31st.
Two artists coming from different worlds: Giorgio Morandi (Bologna, 1890 - 1964) was the author of paintings defined by muted colors, meditative compositions in which the still life, main subject of his work, becomes an excuse, a union of abstracted elements. In this balance of forms, the harmonius rithm, the elegant lines and the simphony of light and colour take the main role in the scene. Robert Ryman (Nashville, 1930), challenges the limit bethween painting and sculpture, creating complex surfaces of light and shadow, emphasizing the inner objecthood of the piece and calling the limit bethween object and surrounding space into question.
Where to find the connection, then? If Morandi's works abstract themselves from space and time, they do it thanks to a forerunning minimalism, so early for their age being capable of anticipating trends which only later will come out, by the time of post modernity, when Ryman is protagonist.
The american artist's career has begun ten years before Morandi's death and his research has been ongoing for more than half a century. After over a hundred solo exhibitions in twelve countries (the first one in 1967), Ryman still aims to transform his art, never laying down on the comfort of tendency, always searching for the authenticy of unexplored territories. He has painted and drawn on canvas, steel, aluminium, plexiglas vinyl and complex materials. He calls himself realist, because he only uses essential elements like real light and space, leaving every kind of illusion out of his work.
The verb "to astract" comes from abstrahĕre, which means to take out, to gain an item out of its contest, just to exalt it. In art this happens within synthesis and stylization which dismiss everithing is unnecessary. Morandi's abstraction is created in pure forms and volumes, made by beautiful nuances of color; Ryman's abstraction is based on rythm, light and space.
Galleria d'Arte Maggiore g.a.m. has long dedicated its work to show how history of art is made up of connections bethween modern and contemporary art. In this framework, Giorgio Morandi is a leading figure, never outmoded, already protagonist of past events like Un dialogo di luce, (A dialogue of light, Bologna 2014 - 2015), when his style could meet Ettore Spalletti's artistic language. This time, the cultural meeting crosses the Atlantic Ocean, leading to the United States, to propose a new comparasion, but also showing how Morandi is recognised as great master all over the world. The silent dialogue between the works of the two painters shows a natural evolution of a research that, from hand to hand, enlights the artistical language of our era.
