[It's LIQUID News] "IGOR MITORAJ - Traces of Time" retrospective at CONTINIARTUK

.art news May 15, 2014
Igor Mitoraj, Città Perduta II, 2005 Image courtesy of Giovanni Ricci - Novara, Paris
CONTINIARTUK IGOR MITORAJ - Traces of TimeTexts by James Putnam   Private View:Friday 23 May 6.30 ‐ 8.30pm RSVP: info@continiartuk.com   Exhibition runs:24 May - 22 September 2014   ContiniArtUK is pleased to announce it will open its gallery on New Bond Street with a retrospective of sculpture by Igor Mitoraj in May 2014. The Traces of Time will be the celebrated Pietrasanta‐based master sculptor’s first major solo exhibition in London.   The Traces of Time is a definitive selection of Mitoraj sculptures in bronze, marble and cast iron. At first glance the sculptures may seem like archeological artifacts, evoking nostalgia for the golden age of antiquity and the poetry of ruin. Mitoraj wants us to avoid this comparison by simultaneously embracing the very nature of time; past, present and future. His sculptures consist of striking bodily fragments ‐ decapitated heads, headless torsos with missing limbs, distressed surfaces. This use of the fragment relates to the paradox of the human condition, a quest for perfection that carries with it the inevitability of imperfection.   “The idea of beauty is ambiguous, a doubleedged sword that can easily hurt you, causing pain and torture”, comments Mitoraj. “My art is an example of this dichotomy: mesmerizing perfection attached to corrupted imperfection.”   Mitoraj is an honorary citizen of Pietrasanta, working with the famous artigiani, regarded as the best in the world, excelling in decorative and technical skill. His work can be viewed as part of a great Italian bronze‐casting heritage beginning with the Etruscans and Romans and reaching its zenith during the Italian Renaissance.   The heroic head, so often a recurrent motif in Mitoraj’s work, may seem fragmented and slightly surreal, even possessing a strong sense of the theatrical. This dramatic influence can be attributed to the artist’s early years studying painting at the Kraków Academy of Art under director Tadeusz Kantor, noted for experimental theatre. Mitoraj’s early years included work on set designs and costumes for operas Manon Lescaut, Tosca and latterly Aida, held in the Boboli Gardens, Florence. Much of this theatricality is evident in his monumental works. “My work is not concerned with recreating what has already been done but it is simply an attempt to shape into familiar forms the drama of life.”   Mitoraj is perhaps best known for his monumental public sculptures, which have been displayed in prominent locations including the foreground of London’s British Museum, Canary Wharf, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, as well as the world famous ruins of Agrigento, Sicily. Other important public works have been shown in Italy, Spain, France, Japan and Germany. In addition to his public sculptures, Mitoraj’s work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries in Europe, North America and around the world.   Notable collectors of the Polish born sculptor’s work include TRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, H. R. H. Princess Ira Von Furstemberg, Sir and Lady George Iacubescu and Mr and Mrs Wafic Rida Said.   The exhibition catalogue introduction is written by James Putnam, Independent Curator and Senior Research Fellow, University of the Arts, London. In 1994 Putnam invited Mitoraj to install his bronze colossus Tsuki-No-Hikari (Moonlight) in front of the British Museum. This was part of the Time Machine exhibition, which featured contemporary art juxtaposed with ancient Egyptian sculpture, the start of an ongoing collaborative relationship between artist and curator.   The Traces of Time is the inaugural exhibition to be held at ContiniArtUK, a new five thousand square foot gallery space set over two floors in the heart of Mayfair, Central London. The gallery, on New Bond Street, will exhibit both contemporary and modern art and the Igor Mitoraj retrospective will be shown alongside a permanent collection of works from artists represented by ContiniArtUK including Mario Arlati, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Fernando Botero, Teresa Emanuele, Enzo Fiore, Enrico Ghinato, Robert Indiana, Julio Larraz, Fabrizio Plessi, Sophia Vari and Giuseppe Veneziano.   Press Information:Lisa Baker Associates Ltd Lisa Baker: lisa@lisabakerltd.com + 44 (0)7768 310038 Emily Bryce‐Perkins: emily@lisabakerltd.com + 44 (0)7899 088006   Listings Information:Traces of Time – Igor Mitoraj ContiniArtUK 105 New Bond Street London W1S 1SX info@continiartuk.com Gallery opening hours: Monday - Saturday 10:30am - 6:30pm, Sunday 12pm - 5pm www.continiartuk.com