Gustavo Aceves Lapidarium Sculpture

Dear Art Lover,

     I found myself in Lucca, Italy, recently, at the invitation of a new friend.  As the bus entered the station at Piazza Verdi, I saw the heads of horses.  They were sculptures and I was intrigued.  Knowing that I was early, I decided to wander over to have a look.  So glad that I did… and later, I even brought my friend over.

     Mexican sculptor Gustavo Aceves has created two massive sculpture works [one a single piece; the other an amazing parade] that is temporarily on exhibit in Lucca [I never saw for how long].  It is titled “Lapidarium,” although the only sign about the work implies the title is “Passo Sospeso” [Suspended Step] I will write about the large bronze horse in the next post.  This post is about the grouping of fifteen horses [the sign says, count if you like] that are exhibited “within” the famous wall around Lucca, in what appears to be a sunken area with arches.  My friend explained that the water and aqueducts passed by those arches behind this sculpture installation.

    I quote part of the sign for this sculpture grouping [I rewrote a little to correct the poor translation to English]:

     These sculptures represent a sort of “monument to the vanquished,” a metaphor of the unceasing migration process over thousands of years.  Part of a larger group, these sculptures travel along to many important sites around the world, such as Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, and an archeological area in Rome (Mercati di Traiano, l’Arco di Costantino e la Piazza del Colosseo).  After this exhibition leaves Lucca, Italy, it will travel on to the Acropolis in Athens, Beijing, and Paris.  In 2019 it will arrive in Mexico, the birthplace of the author.

the gate aids the impact of the message, no?

     The artist has obviously used the same mold to create the horses, the male African-inspired figures that stand atop some of the horses, and I think even the grouping of skulls that line the torsos of the three horses in the rear of the “parade.”  Repetition is a common compositional device.  It gives us a feeling of calm, continuity, cohesion of the separate items as a whole, and sometimes security.  Our brain catches onto the pattern and completes and continues it, feeling good about the order of things.  However, too much repetition creates boredom, precisely for the reason that the brain knows what to expect and needs not look further.  In a large sculpture, such as this grouping, it makes economic sense for the artist to do this as well.  

Repetition and Variety

One feels the exhaustion and struggle, yet anticipation [standing figures]

My apologies for the dark spot in the upper left white on the wall-need a new camera.

Bus Station at Piazza Verdi is off to the left - wall of Lucca, Italy

Even the holes on the neck of the fallen horses are repetition

 

     That said,  the artist Gustavo Aceves, has then used other compositional means to break up this repetition.  Each horse is different in content.  Some have been cropped, with only the neck and heads positioned as some of the fallen during the great migration.  The horses still walking are positioned in slightly different angles to imply movement and individuality within the group.  But more importantly, and visually and intellectually stimulating, the bodies of the horses are unique.  Some of the bodies have wooden sticks and even masts or crosses, implying migration by ship.  One shows the famine in the exposed rib cage of a horse.  Some of the horses have large stitching across a leg or a face to imply how the journey wounds and yet, the march continues.  Others have human figures tied to wooden sticks, depicting slavery.  There is one horse that carries the load of horses hooves inside his back/wagon. 

The train tracks were another reinforcing visual to the idea

Powerfully conceived work of public art!

little suspended bodies are tied up inside of this horse

A much larger proportioned human corpse rests inside the horse on the right

Horse hooves must be a thing of value, or perhaps they were shoes/metal?

     Then there are the three figures in the back, obviously made from the same mold as the figure up front, but each individualized with netting and other small details.  They stand upon the necks of headless horses.  The bodies of the horses are made up of many skulls.  The visual language makes an obvious and clear heavy statement and yet the figures are beautiful at the same time.  The materials were not listed for this artwork but the surface texture looks like sand.  There are parts of horses’ faces that imply ceramic, although I think it was more likely colored or painted resin. 

Do the African figures represent people or more like mast fronts on a ship?

Three horse bodies at the rear are made up of human skulls.

     An exhibition of this size is expensive to transport and to install.  However, I loved this work and the placement of it in Lucca.  I am curious how the same sculpture grouping looked and will look in the other cities along this tour.  If you happen to see it anywhere else, please share your images of it with me.

Enjoy.. I hope not too many photos!

Peace,

Kelly Borsheim, artist

http://BorsheimArts.com

P.S. IF original art, while affordable, is STILL a bit out of your budget, or the piece you adored has sold?  Or do you like arty things in different formats, to surround yourself with art?  Looking for a gift?  See my store online for pillow, phone cases, shower curtains, towels, tote bags, and yes, even prints on metal, wood, canvas, and so much more:

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-kelly-borsheim.html

View from the gate at the bottom

Imagine the quality of images from a GOOD camera!