Gustavo Aceves Horse Sculpture

Dear Art Lover,

     Near Piazza Verdi in Lucca, Italy, not so long ago, I discovered a wonderful public art exhibition of horses and about migration [of people].  My last post: 

http://artbyborsheim.blogspot.it/2017/10/gustavo-aceves-lapidarium-sculpture.html

featured images of Mexican sculptor Gustavo Aceves multi-figure “Passo Sospeso” sculpture work of humans and horses.  The entire show is titled “Lapidarium” and is just wonderful!       

     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. 

The leglessness made me wonder if the artist wanted this sculpture exhibited just above water.

     This truly monumental horse has his body split in half.  The back half has a tall form attached, perhaps representing a rider?  Behind that tall shape is a skull attached to a space along the “spine.”  There are backwards numbers (like many license plates) stamped into the torso of the horse, large sets and then many smaller ones.  I am not sure if the bones mounted at the top back end of the front half of the horse are to imply starvation or something else.  Compositionally, it aids the eye to look to the back half of the sculpture, with its gracefully curving top line mirroring the line of the horse’s neck.

Bony addition aids composition

     The blue-green patina (frankly, the easiest to create in bronze, other than black) contrasts nicely with the warm greens of the surrounding grasses and trees.  I think it is in a lovely spot, along the wall of Lucca, where it may be seen from within and down below along the road that circles the wall.  Perhaps you will get to see this exhibit?  Please pardon the big black spot in my pictures.  I need to buy a new camera since this is not-repairable, but I have had a lot of expenses this year and am postponing the shopping.

     Enjoy… I hope not too many photos! 

Happy birthday, Bob Barton!  

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

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!

Pastel Life Drawing

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

Although I move slowly, I have little patience for waiting. Today I want to share with you two brief sketches I did to help pass some time. These days I try to keep with me a small pastel kit and some black paper. It is a contrasty look that perhaps lends itself to more drama and less softness than lighter papers and more subtle techniques encourage.

This first one is titled “Beach Talk” I took about a week holiday in June to visit one of my models (and friend) on the island of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, flying in and out of Ibiza in the process. During the one really sunny day in Palma, we headed off for a small, but charming beach.

I find sunbathing boring and the water was too cold to swim in just yet ... so I tried to sketch these women chatting with each other on the beach. It looked to me as if they had known each other for a long time. I was hoping that I could capture some of their naturalness with each other.

Unfortunately, once they noticed me drawing them, they turned their chairs to face the water! Still, it was a good challenge to draw people who were moving about and not trying to pose. And in general, I like the idea of sunshine, but not the reality. Shortly after I did what I could with this sketch, I headed into the ocean for a refreshing swim.


"Beach Talk" Palma de Mallorca, Spain
20 x 28 cm June 2010
pastel on black paper
Private Collection, Caprese Michelangelo, Italia

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This second sketch happened because of a recent trip to Lucca, Italia. The logistics of carrying five people in a vehicle equipped for three left my model Nathan and me opting to wait for the second run. This young man was quite a charming first-time portrait model and we both enjoyed the process, fitting in a nap along the top of the tree-shaded wall surrounding Lucca before our ride arrived again.


“Nathan” Lucca, Italia
6 July 2010
pastel on black paper
Private collection, United Kingdom

Lucca Italy Torre Guinigi

Cari Amici (Dear Friends),

I recently revisited Lucca, Italy, with some friends. Lucca is a small city in which the old town still features the original wall circling and protecting the city. They have made the top of the wall into a lovely walking and bike path, lined with trees and often, breezes.

During lunch, I got to see my favorite fountain there, of which I made a painting in 2004.

This time around I got to take in the views from the Torre Guinigi, a tower with lovely trees on the top. It is an easy climb up the stairs to a shady loft overlooking the city. I hope you enjoy the views. At this writing, the tower is open from 9:30 am to 7:30 p.m., with the last entrance time just after 7 p.m. The price is 3,50 € per person, with reduced prices for kids, students, those with more than 65 years, and groups.

Lucca also sports a great concert series in the summer, with big names in a variety of music styles. Lucca, Italy, in the heart of Tuscany, makes a great day trip from either the Tuscan coast (think cruise line drop-off points) or Florence.