WORK IN PROGRESS
Stephen Nova
& Filippo Basetti
Vernissage Saturday, June 21 2014 at 18.00
The association SINCRESIS presents the work of the artist from Australia and Italian origin Stephen Nova that stayed in residence at our spaces working for almost two months for a project focused on the territory of Empoli. Noted our environment, has caught some photographs of industrial sites characteristic of our historical geographical area, focusing his attention on the architectural structure of the glass factory Del Vivo, unfortunately partially collapsed soon after his photo shoots, and now place for the redevelopment according to the new urban planning that provides for the total elimination of an authentic trace in the historical memory of manufactures glassworks typical of our region. It is projected with their imagination to change the fabric of a historical record, so that it is completely “other” through a graphic work Carthusian who has committed every day to create the pencil chiaroscuro contrasts between light and shadow, as in photography black and white, tipping structures, perspective views risky, textures walls made with extreme perfection and according to a singular attention to detail. Stephen seems to have revisited the place, changing sections, to transfer it in an absolute space beyond the real, since it appears in an atmosphere without time as raised from the ground. Seems to have “open” the most intrinsic core of the building to allow to it to tell his story through objects, primarily the shape of the carboy, typical production of green glass, examined at the Muve Empoli and iterated in always different measures , multiplied indefinitely to make the idea of a memory which proceeds from the past to the present, so as to make it alive again, or by introducing in the form of an architectural fabric navicello, used for the transport of materials and woodworking products. His drawings take on an aura surreal and at the same time metaphysical, become visionaries, absolute space, situabili beyond time and space, in the continuity of a history and a life that is not concluded, but that is renewed every time and commits the observer to proceed with the look in the search for items, clues are in particular weaving graphics Stephen in the act of expressing a particular wisdom of signs that also comes from his study of architecture and urbanism. The artist has managed to take root in our reality, our experience, to extract emblematic examples that invite contemplation and reflection amazed digging in the depths of the imagination. For the occasion, Stephen has also created an installation with green glass carboys, typical production of our territory, politely guaranteed by the Historical and Muve Empoli arranged in space in front of a wall work that offers a reflection on the fragility the glass material and building working partly collapsed. He spoke at a distance through the computer network with a young artist living in the territory of Pistoia, Filippo Basetti, investigator in photography not only in urban areas, but of
but of places, people, objects transformed and decontextualized, that in the “non-places” of our time become another. His is a crossing from the visual arts, photography, video, without asking questions, to advance towards a survey that draws influences from architecture, from science fiction to address aspects of the organic view of society as a whole and living organism.
Elaborates particular images in which intervenes, inserting elements “other” to make changes, such as “variants” to a plan, in order to propose authentic urban projects which sometimes produce an effect of disorientation in the observer. Indeed intervenes forms and structures that interact with a place photographed, or that make it completely different, similarly all’empaquetage. Only if that changes, changes, change, try to act to produce a living space, which not only gets a free game, but produces effects that can encourage critical reflection on the selected location, which may elicit a look subtly ironic, the same artist. Philip was inspired by the works produced by Stephen, continuing at the same time on the line of their work decontextualisation called “Imaginart” or inspired by the nurseries as some of his works rather recent. Thus “set” designs by Stephen in natural and modified by human labor photographed in the territory of Pistoia proposing the series “Pistoia meets Empoli”. The serial repetition of the carboy by Stephen reminded him constant iteration of pot plants in nurseries pstoiesi organized to form a green texture of plants in a human scale that is now engaged in the vision of those who live there changing perception. The works on display so stimulate a series of questions that invite you to reopen a debate among the public, for sharing and discussion, as to continue and foster dialogue woven together in recent months on two urban spaces in correlation, to focus in ‘analysis of the places in a work in progress that committed to participation as acknowledgment and acquisition of awareness about the daily life, the historical memory of the recent testimony of a living and working environment, which lasts through time, in the chest changes in the urban fabric.
STEPHEN NOVA
Education
1999 Certificate of Museum Studies (Distinction), Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
1994 Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts), (Distinction in Painting) Edith Cowan University,
Perth, Australia.
Solo Exhibitions
2013 ‘The Architectural Uncanny’, fortyfive downstairs Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2011 ‘Inception’, Mossgreen Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2009 ‘Invisible Cities’, fortyfive downstairs Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2005 Gadfly Gallery, Perth, Australia
2003 Greenhill Galleries, Perth, Australia
2002 The Mundaring Arts Centre, Perth, Australia
2000 Perth Galleries, Perth, Australia
1996 Perth Galleries, Perth, Australia
Two Person Exhibitions
2013 Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide, Australia
Group Exhibitions
2014 Australian Drawing Exhibition, Hill Smith Gallery, South Australia
2014 Melbourne Art Fair (Hill Smith Gallery), Australia
2013 Kedumba Drawing Award, N.S.W. Australia
2012 Harrison Galleries, Sydney, Australia
2007 Salt Contemporary Art, Queenscliff, Victoria
2003 ‘Out from Down Under and Beyond’, Agora Gallery, New York
2003 ‘Fresh Paint’, Greenhill Galleries, Perth, Australia
2002 Greenhill Galleries, Perth, Australia
2001, Art Fair Perth, Fremantle, Australia
2000 ‘Flash Exposure’, S.E.A. Gallery, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
1996 ‘Off the Rails’, Craftwest Gallery, Perth, Australia
1995 ‘Hatched’, National Graduate Exhibition, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Perth, Australia
Awards / Commissions
2013 Kedumba Drawing Award, Finalist, N.S.W. Australia
2005 Troy Resources London
2003 Artflight Grant, ArtsWA. Department of Culture & the Arts, Western Australia
2002 Talijancich Winery, Swan Valley, Perth, Australia Commissioned to produce drawings and paintings for new wine labels
2001 Old Swan Brewery Redevelopment (Apartments) Commissioned to produce 17 paintings
1997 Australia Rockwork Commission, Environmental Art Design
1996 General Projects Grant from ArtsWA, Department of Culture & the Arts, Western Australia
1994 Selected to Represent Edith Cowan University at the National Graduate Exhibition, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Australia
Collections
Seychelles Consulate, New York
Troy Resources London
Troy Resources N.L., Perth, Australia
Tribeca Australia
King Edward Hospital, Perth, Australia
Swan Brewery Apartments, Perth, Australia
Federal Government Parliamentary Offices, Exchange Plaza Building, Australia
Federal Government Parliamentary Offices, Department of Veteran Affairs, Australia
Bowen Buchbinder Vilensky Lawyers, Perth, Australia
GIO Building, Perth, Australia
Canning College, Perth, Australia
Private Collections in Australia, USA, United Kingdom
FILIPPO BASETTI
Born in Pistoia in 1975 deals with the visual arts.
Since 2001 he has held solo exhibitions in Pistoia, Florence, Rome. He has participated in group exhibitions at the Mac’n Monsummano Terme, the Triennale Bovisa Milan, Villa Romana and La Strozzina of Florence, the Documentation Centre Giovanni Michelucci of Pistoia, the Stazione Leopolda in Florence and the University of the Image Milan. He has made a number of short films and videos.
