Sei linoleografie - Linocuts
VOLTI DELLA MEMORIA
Vedi da tempo:
I figli del giorno e della notte
Senza sole e senza stelle,
I figli senza passato e futuro,
Senza vera guerra o vera pace;
Per essi stanno in affano
Anche le più umili piante.
FACES OF REMEMBRANCE
One has always seen:
The children of day and of night
Without sun and without stars,
The children without past and future,
Without real war or real peace;
Even the humble plants
Worry about them.
VIRGILIO GUIDI was born in Rome on 4th April 1891. After practising
painting in the workshop of an art restorer, he enrolled at the age
of 20 at the Rome Academy of Fine Arts where he studied under
Aristide Sartorio. In 1915 he was invited to take part in the Roman
exhibition 'la Secessione' (the Secession) and was able to admire an
entire wall covered by works of art by Matisse. In 1920 he took part
for the first time in the Biennale of Venice. In the Biennale of
1924, he obtained a great success with his painting 'The Tram',
which is today considered one of the most significant works of 20th
century Itaian art. The following year, he took over the studio at
Villa Borghese which had belonged to Armando Spadini, while in 1927
he obtained the Chair of Painting at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts.
He settled down permanently in Venice where he made friends with
the poet Vincenzo Cardarelli. He married Ada Bernadi by whom he had
a daughter, Maria Vittoria. He took part in the Rome Qaudriennali.
Also in 1935 edition he was awarded a prize together with Gino
Severini. Also in 1935 he transferred his teaching activities from
Venice to Bologna. He exhibited an important series of 'Figures in
space' at the 1948 Biennale and a collection of his work was shown
in the 1954 edition. In 1957 and 1961 he was awarded a Gold Medal by
the President of the Republic for his merits as a Master of Italian
art and for his contributions to culture. From 1962 to 1973 he held
exhibitions in many cities. Guidi is endowed with a fine independent
spirit and, besides being one of the most important artists of the
20th century, is a sensitive poet. Many publications have been
dedicated to him. His graphic work is abundant. The most notable
example in this field is 'Grande Viaggio' (The Great Journey), a
volume published in 70 copies containing 12 etchings, which came
out in 1975 in the series'Racconti grafici'(Graphic Stories) of R.S.
Also in 1975 a hundred works and unpublished poems were presented at
Villa Simes at Piazzola sul Brenta (Padua). In 1976, a new collection,
this time containing 180 works, was exhibited at Villa Malpensata at
Lugano. The 'Deux Amis' are proud to present for the first time the
lineographs of the Master. And they are also happy to quote some of
his saying. "I have spent much of this century entering many 'cities'
without stopping long in any one, perhaps because I feared that time
was preceding me along my journey." "I would have died long ago if I
have been imprisoned in any of the many aesthetic trends of this
century, or if I had been made to linger a long time in one of them,
thought I admit I have penetrated into their reasons and their history.
I was not born to submit to tyranny or even less to petty rule. I
have never thrown myself to one side or another so as to avoid
closing myself in either. However I have paid attention to all
trends so that I might underftand their secret 'raison d'être'."
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