Retrospective Leon Ferrari at Arles

recently in the French city of Arles opened a retrospective of Leon Ferrari (León Ferrari, p. 1920) - a respected contemporary artist, winner of the Golden Lion Venice Biennale (2007). Interestingly, an exhibition decided in the Church of St. Anne's - the choice is not clear, given the fact that Ferrari is already half a century, mercilessly criticized in its art institutions of government, including the Catholic church.

In their Ferrari works speaks of the "dark side" of society, focusing the viewer on such matters, as intolerance, abuse of authority, repression of human sexuality, racism, authoritarianism and violence against the person. Using humor and sarcasm, it shows on some wild cruelty and stupidity are capable people, citing the Inquisition, the Holocaust, the dictatorship in Argentina, the military hegemony of America and so on. "From the art I just want one thing: that it has helped me as clearly as possible to express my thoughts, that allowed me to develop a critical visual language, which I can most effectively condemn the barbarism of the West. If someone proves to me that my work - it is not art, it did not change, I'll do the same, but will refer to their art is not art, and politics, harsh criticism, or something else ».

extensive body of work includes photographs of the master, calligraphic paintings, collages and sculptures from various materials. Perhaps the best known of his creation is "Western Christian Civilization" (1965), depicting the crucified Christ on the model of American military aircraft. So the artist expressed his protest against the Vietnam War, as well as the alliance of the U.S. and his native Argentina, motivated "defense of Western and Christian values." At the 1960 work is not allowed to display the Argentine censorship. Since then, she was seen at many important exhibitions, including at the very Venice Biennale. In the Arles statue also presented. Scandals surrounding art Ferrari periodically flare up and now: in 2001, for example, his exhibition in Spain, which addressed the theme of the Catholic Church and torture, led demonstrations and prayers. In 2004 the court ordered to close his retrospective in Argentina; exhibition reopened after a public outcry.

Not all the artist's works are "judgmental", he has a stunningly beautiful and abstract works. Last shown in 2009 at an exhibition in New York's Museum of Modern Art in conjunction with the works of Jewish artists Shendel Mira (Mira Schendel). In Arles, the retrospective of Ferrari can be seen until 19 September. It takes place in the festival photos Rencontres d'Arles.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova, AI

Source: artdaily.com , artinvestment.ru