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Tuesday, October 23, 2007 |
Giorgio de Chirico and Greece: Voyage through Memory
NEW YORK, NY.- The Onassis Cultural Center presents Giorgio de Chirico and Greece: Voyage through Memory, an exhibition of works by major European artist Giorgio de Chirico, opening on October 31, 2007. Organized by the Giorgio and Isa de Chirico Foundation in Rome and the Athinais Cultural Centre in Athens,
this presentation of 35 of the artist's metaphysical paintings and
sculptures, as well as 22 drawings and lithographs are drawn from the
artist's late period of work.
Throughout his life de Chirico maintained a personal and academic interest in Hellenic culture. Born in Volos, Greece in 1888 to Italian parents, he went on to study at the Athens Polytechnic and the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.
His debut in the art world took place in Paris in 1912. Most commonly
known for having inspired Surrealism, de Chirico's work also adopted
Neo-Baroque influences. His bond with ancient Greece harmonized with
his appreciation of classical Italian art. The extremely innovate
imagery of the 35 paintings and sculptures featured evoke the artist's
memories and reveal his poetic vision, demonstrating the inspiration he
found in both cultures as well as his role in defining a different,
modern reality. Voyage through Memory presents his artistic reflections
on Greek tradition, history, philosophy and aesthetics, fitting the
Onassis Cultural Center's mission to engage and educate the public
about the universal ideals of Greek civilization. It is said that de
Chirico's first painting was inspired by the horses he saw in his
birthplace of Volos.
The focus of horses later developed into a recurring theme for the
artist, represented in the exhibition by the painting The Painter of
Horses and his Ancient Horses, a bronze sculpture of horses standing in
the wind. De Chirico was profoundly influenced by Greek mythology, of
which he portrayed the Argonauts, Titans, Centaurs and Olympian Gods.
An excerpt from the artist's memoirs expresses his affinity to this
land, "...all of those spectacles of exceptional beauty that I saw in Greece
as a boy, and that are the most beautiful I have ever seen to this day,
affected me so deeply, they were so powerfully impressed in my soul and
in my thoughts..."
De Chirico's neometaphysical work is another important
exhibition theme and is exemplified by paintings such as Harmony of
Solitude and The Tower as well as the sculpture The Great
Metaphysician, creations which evoke the mystery of space and time in
the unique environment he created.
Giorgio de Chirico and Greece:
Voyage through Memory, curated by art critic and theorist Takis
Mavrotas, it was originally presented at the Athinais Cultural Centre
in Athens, Greece. Other highlighted works include View of Athens,
The Painter, Two Horses Against a Marine Background, Hebdomeros, The
Lonely Poet, and The Hand of God and the Nine Muses. The exhibition
will be on view from October 31, 2007 - January 6, 2008 at the Onassis
Cultural Center.
The Onassis Cultural Center is the public forum of the
Onassis Foundation (USA), an Affiliate of the Alexander S. Onassis
Public Benefit Foundation founded by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle
Onassis upon his death in 1975. The Onassis Foundation (USA) aims to
promote, preserve, and celebrate Hellenic culture of all time periods
in the United States. The Center seeks to give the public greater
access to significant aspects of Greek culture through its ongoing
series of exhibitions, lectures, musical events, literary evenings, and
theatrical performances. Visit www.onassisusa.org
for more information. The Onassis Cultural Center is located in the
Olympic Tower (645 Fifth Avenue - entrances on 51st and 52nd Streets). Giorgio de Chirico and Greece: Voyage through Memory will be on view October 31, 2007 - January 6, 2008, Monday - Saturday from 10
a.m. - 6 p.m. Admission is free.
7:22:25 AM
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© Copyright 2009 Gary Santoro.
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