- 11
Fausto Melotti
Description
- Fausto Melotti
- La Piuma
- signed
- brass
- 140 by 50 by 36 cm. 55 1/8 by 19 5/8 by 14 1/8 in.
- Executed in 1973.
Provenance
Galleria dello Scudo, Verona
Acquired from the above by the present owner circa 1999
Exhibited
Zurich, Galerie Lawrence Rubin, Fausto Melotti und Lucio Fontana, February – March 1996
Lucca, Baluardo San Regolo, La linea non figurativa delle Collezioni Lucchesi: 60 opere anni '50-'70, September – October 2001, n.p., no. 1, illustrated in colour
Literature
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
The whimsy materiality of Melotti’s seemingly weightless sculptures is a formal resolution of his explorations into new conceptions of spatial understanding and material innovation. The paradoxes of movement and immobility, rigidity and flexibility, solidity and weightlessness, are utilised as a means of challenging traditional formations of the sculptural medium. In their lightness Melotti’s delicate forms recall the iconic mobiles of Alexander Calder. Despite working on different continents, the artists employed an analogous sculptural language and imbued the traditionally solid medium of metal with a light expressiveness. Both originally trained in engineering and turned towards music, as well as the Surrealists and Constructivists for inspiration. The magic and genius of both artists lies in their ability to coalesce all of these influences to create dynamic and truly beautiful works of art.
A striking paradigm of Melotti’s revered ingenuity and formal dexterity, La Piuma (The Feather) displays a measured combination of stillness and movement. Its poised equilibrium of shapes and voids engenders a unique dialogue with the symbolic value of form in space.