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  • Date
    09 FEBRUARY 2023
    Author
    GLORIA MARIA CAPPELLETTI
    Image by
    MARTIN ROMEO
    Categories
    Aesthetics

    Exploring the Intersection of Art and Craft: A Journey Through Martin Romeo's 'Lo Sguardo e l'Idea' Exhibition

     

    The art exhibition "Lo sguardo e l'idea" is the tribute of visual artist Martin Romeo to the artisans of Pietrasanta. It is a journey through the creation process of a work of art. The exhibition is introduced by an immersive reality path created by Martin Romeo in the Church of Sant'Agostino. This overall enhanced experience allows the visitors to enter the artisan workshops of Pietrasanta, where the work of art is brought to completion starting from the artist's first idea, either in the form of a small-scale sketch or a full-size model.

    On a quick note it's important to know some precious details about Pietrasanta, a town located in the coastal region of Tuscany, Italy, which is widely renowned for its rich artistic heritage and association with the art world. Since the 15th century, the town has been attracting artists and artisans, thanks to the presence of abundant and high-quality marble quarries in the surrounding area.

    The famous marble caves of Pietrasanta have been a major source of inspiration for sculptors and artists for centuries. The marble extracted from these caves is of exceptional quality and has been used to create some of the most famous works of art in the world, such as Michelangelo's "David". The town became a hub for artists and artisans who flocked here to work with the local marble and create their own masterpieces.

    The sounds of the sculpture workshops and foundries, the dust of marble, the malleability of wax, the dazzling glow of molten bronze flowing from the crucible, and the hand of the artisan working in complete harmony with the artist's talent, assisting in the various and complex execution phases of the work, can all be perceived in the "Lo sguardo e l'idea" eexhibition.

     

     

    The exhibition was created in collaboration with the Uffizi Galleries, as part of the Uffizi Diffusi project. The artistic process is showcased through self-portraits and sketches. The director of the Museum of Sketches, Chiara Celli, one of the three curators of "Lo sguardo e l'idea", explains, "It was very beautiful to accompany Martin Romeo in the different workshops and foundries of Pietrasanta. As soon as they knew about the project, all the artisans contributed with great enthusiasm."

    Martin Romeo's project focused on the workshops of Cervietti, Studio Sem, Angeli, Galleni, Logicart (formerly Fratelli Galeotti), Stagetti, Giancarlo Buratti and Alessandro Petrucci, and the Mariani, Versiliese, and Del Chiaro foundries. During the filming, artists Giuseppe Bergomi, Giovanni Balderi, and Margot Homan "lent" their hands.

     

     

    This exhibition is a tribute to local craftsmanship and creative genius, as Romeo seeks to highlight the delicate balance between form and material in the creation of art. The installation is a multichannel composition that brings together video recordings and 3D scans to create an interactive and dynamic ecosystem.

    According to Romeo, the exhibition is intended to showcase the dialogue between local artisans and the artist. The artisans, who craft form and material, are represented alongside the artist, who contextualizes and represents the work. Through this relationship, the artist and the artisan engage in a continuous and reciprocal exchange of gestures, actions, and trust.

    Visitors to the exhibition will be taken on a journey of passion, knowledge, and tradition, as musical rhythms and visual cuts introduce them to the intricate interplay between form and material. The multichannel composition serves as a representation of the artistic process, showcasing the dialogue between the artisans and the artist.

     

     

    Martin Romeo, born in 1986, is a visual and multimedia artist. Born in Carrara, he lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a few years before returning to Italy in 1999. Settling in Trieste, he continued his studies in Venice, earning a degree in Visual Arts Design and Production from the IUAV University of Venice, Faculty of Design and Arts. He has participated in international exhibitions as an artist and designer, including the 2017 Expo in Astana, Kazakhstan, and the Venice Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale. Romeo has had international residencies where he created works, such as the Swatch residency in Shanghai and the Inside-Out Art Museum in Beijing. He has collaborated with various companies on the design of new web 3.0 ecosystems, from Bulgari to Apple and RED-EYE, as our Metaverse Designer. He is the director of the Master in Visual Arts for the Digital Age at the IED in Milan and teaches at several Italian institutions. The artist received the Italian Council grant for research from the Italian Ministry of Culture in 2022 and is part of the "Quadriennale di Roma - Arte Italiana a 365°" and was selected as a reference artist for the Italian Design Pavilion in Hong Kong.

     

     

    Martin Romeo's exhibition "Lo sguardo e l'idea" is a unique blend of craftsmanship and creativity, as he brings together the traditional and the modern in a seamless display of form and material.

    Over the years, Pietrasanta has attracted many renowned artists from all over the world, including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, and more recently, David d'Angers, Igor Mitoraj and many others. The town continues to be a vibrant center for contemporary art, hosting numerous art exhibitions, festivals, and workshops throughout the year.

    In addition to its rich artistic heritage, Pietrasanta is also famous for its traditional crafts and artisanal workshops, where skilled craftsmen continue to produce high-quality sculptures, ceramics, jewelry, and other artisanal objects. The town's art scene is a true celebration of the interplay between traditional craftsmanship and modern art, reflecting the unique spirit and creativity of the local community.

    The exhibition "Lo sguardo e l'idea" is open to the public from 15-19 every day until February 19th, 2023, with free admission. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the exhibition is also open from 10-13. This is a rare opportunity for visitors to see the work of a talented artist and appreciate the beauty of local craftsmanship.