Two exhibits

Last week I went at Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) that is a building next to the Duomo in Milan, which serves as a venue for exhibitions and for civil marriages.
I went there for a wedding but since I was there I decided to visit two exhibitions:)

The first exhibit (ended on October 16) was:
The sign and the spirit - multiple furniture, sculptures and jewelry by Gabriella Crespi

I leave you the fun of find details about her, I say only that she was a well-known designer and artist of Milan in the 60s and 80s.
In his works are almost a constant curves, that you can find in a whole range of furniture dedicated to the moon. Crespi made also ​​a number of animals whose body is composed of ostrich eggs or crystal eggs.
And where there are no curves there are, shiny surfaces, metal and gold.

In his furniture I liked most this stool composed by segments that are opened or closed to form a moon.
I like the curvy line of the single slice and I like the curved shape formed by all segments when they are open. I find it very elegant and harmonious, and find great the color alternation of silver and gray. There is also a red/silver version but not so elegant in my opinion. (Eclipse - 1980 - pictures from the web)

Gabriella Crespi has also produced a series of jewelry and a table set with the technique of lost-wax casting.
In this technique an object is carved in wax, embedded into a matrix and then the melted metal replaces the wax.
What struck me is that often the form of wax, replaced by the metal, is not a real sculpture but seems to be one of those melted wax drops that naturally forms on candles.
Now, I don't know if the Crespi has crafted a form similar to a natural wax flow or whether she simply took the natural wax drops, but I personally find it much more brilliant if she used for her purpose a natural flows, not recreated.
Perhaps for the beauty of the natural things.

Following a table, the table set and a collection of objects in lost-wax casting (images from the web)

I was fascinated and impressed by this butterfly necklace. Once again, the technique is that of lost-wax casting.  I feel that the heavy looking of the metal is balanced by all those spaces in the wings that transmit grace, lightness ... I almost expect the butterfly to take a flight at any moment.

The second exhibit was after this and it was:
Inter/Vallum - monographic bt Roberto Ciaccio (until November 20, 2011)

This monograph consists of works on paper and large metal plates, arranged in the "hall of caryatids" of the royal palace, an hall that I've never seen before.
A room whose beauty is matched only by the very poor state of repair, unfortunately. And for me, just returned from England, where historical and cultural buildings are immaculately kept, was inpossible not to compare the two realities.

But leaving out the room, the exhibit fascinated me. The works are touches of color, rarely light colours, on metal and paper. The colours where all dark, deep, with a metallic effect given ​​by the support.
I was fascinated by combinations of blue and purple or dark red, and a serie of 3 works apparently identical except for the placement of a certain color shape. (photo from the web)

Unfortunately in the historic buildings there is always a problem: light.
So here very dark works were exposed in a room with a very poor light. Of course, the exposure would not have made the same effect under bright lights, but the light was, in my opinion, really below the minimum level needed to enhance both atmosphere and works.

Installation included also metal plates layed on the floor, but sadly I didn't understood if it was an interactive installation (like in "walk on them") or not. I've avoided, just to be sure. Judging from the footprints others have not. Mah
I understand that sometimes the interpretation of art is left to the observer, but sometimes a little explanation (like in "you can walk on plates") could allow the viewer a full enjoyment of the artpiece, thinking and observing only at the work itself, not thinking only "could I walk on it? yes? no? someone else did... why?" and so on.

Anyway it still was a very beautiful exhibit, and I walked away full of ideas and feelings and inspirations.
If you want here's the link to the artist's website: Roberto Ciaccio

At the next show ^_^