Antonio Rovaldi

Antonio Rovaldi
Antonio Rovaldi
Via Petrella 9, 20124 Milano
tel: +39/3497888786
64 Havemayer, 11211 Brooklyn
NY, New York
mobile: +1/6463016760
antoniorovaldi.com
monitoronline.org
First of all, son, you have to consider the fact that in this world we
wonder in the middle of appearances and enigmas, as the truth is
not of this world and it’s impossible to seize it. We advance towards the unknown, but only metaphorically…
Nicola Cusano, Letter to Nicolò Albergati
Per prima cosa, figlio mio, devi considerare il fatto che in questo
mondo noi vaghiamo in mezzo ad apparenze ed enigmi, poichè la
verità non appartiene a questo mondo ed è impossibile afferrarla.
Porocediamo verso l’ignoto, ma solo metaforicamente…
Nicola Cusano, Lettera a Nicolò Albergati
This project is composed of a number of actions/
performances dedicated to the slow time flowing:
sharpening some pencils till they create a little mountain, waiting motionless that a barbecue
match burns to its end, writing on some notebooks the tile of the Bruce Chatwin book ‘What
am I doing here’, with a red felt-tip pen first and
then with a blue one. Small actions along with a
Country song repeated for the entire duration
of the action. One full day without ever stopping.
ZACK, THE MORMON ENGINEER, three actions, 2009
This project is composed of a number of actions/
performances dedicated to the slow time flowing:
sharpening some pencils till they create a little mountain, waiting motionless that a barbecue
match burns to its end, writing on some notebooks the tile of the Bruce Chatwin book ‘What
am I doing here’, with a red felt-tip pen first and
then with a blue one. Small actions along with a
Country song repeated for the entire duration
of the action. One full day without ever stopping.
ZACK, THE MORMON ENGINEER, three actions, 2009
ANOTHER WASTED DAY, neon, a pair of shoes with golden leaves, variable size, 2009
The photographic series “Torn Landscapes” originates from the idea
to archive a potentially infinite number of looks as many as are the
images taking up the pages of geography, tourism, landscape books,
scattered around the whole world. Tearing then full-page pictures
of places, maintaining intact the dimension of the book from which
these pictures come and reform the image split in two parts (the
two book’s sides) to shoot them again in black and white. The idea
to cross a space only through a look (the photographic eye is the
mind eye) on paper places already worn out contains inside a prospective of movement perhaps even more limitless of the physical
presence therein. The picture becomes the witness of an ancient
desire for a 360 degrees view on all spaces existing in the world.
Torn Landscapes America, Torn Landscapes Italy, Torn Landscapes Netherlands, up to recreating its own archive of the entire world ho-
TORN LANDSCAPE (From the series), C.print on alluminium framed, 30x40 cm, 2009 (in progress)
MY TIME IN SPACE, cardboard basement, two books, two glasses, plasticine, golden leaves, 2009
NESSUNTEMPO, Enamelled ceramic, iron, wood, variable dimension, 2008
A double slide projection on a wall. An crossed alternation of two photographic archives: inner-threshold of palaces by night and a long sequence of old gentlemen wearing long coats walking around. With the images appear dreamy words from a private diary about natural landscape.
DEAR GENTLEMEN, Double slide projection, variable dimension, 2005
Two channels installation shown for the
first time in 2009 in the wide spaces of
the Complesso del San Michele a Ripa, in
Rome.
A baseball pitcher, 20 meters away,
throws balls to some ceramic sculptures
till they’re totally shattered. The installation envisages that the observer covers
the space between the two projections
remaining in the same pitch trajectory.
The shootings were made directly on site
maintaining the same distance provided
by the game rules between the pitcher
and the target object and then repeated
in the video projections inside the space.
THE OPENING DAY, double channel installation, 12’40” loop, color, sound, variable size, 2009
A man in coat taken while moving a step is
placed on a rotary circular basis.The movement is slow, very slow, nearly unperceivable.
SIMON, FOR SURE BETWEEN THE CROWD, Enamelled ceramic wood eletric motor, cm 160x30x30, 2005
SIMON, FOR SURE BETWEEN THE CROWD-CASA PORCARI,Video still, 4’, color, no sound, 2009
My idea was to collect an endless number of photos of old ladies’ flower
dresses through the city markets in Milan. From this selection of slides I
then coinceived a video, a simple editing of single pictures slowly fading
into one another, an infinite loop where the bright colours and the floral
weavings look moulded to the wrinkled and loose skins of the strolling
ladies. The video was shown into a separete room whose walls were covered with white fabric that could change its form and angle according to
space. The sound inside the room is muffled and the images stick down
onto the fabric in a continual alternation of plans until they fade right into it.
DEAR LADIES, Global view of installation, iron fabric video projection, variable dimension, 2003
The video ‘Greenness’ is a homage to the
American writer-philosopher Henry David
Thoureau. Here a physical landscape repeatedly visited (the place where Thoureau spent
his voluntary isolation in nature, in a house
situated on the shores of the Walden pond,
in Massachusetts) is evoked by a single word,
“greenness”. The meaning of this word sends
back to an abstract concept, a dimension of
“absolute wilderness” that the artist tries to
seize, spreading on a small canvas some layers
of various tonalities of green, and listening to a
reading of some pages from Walden. But the
accelerated rhythm of the images with the voice create from the beginning the impression
of short circuit in which sounds and gestures follow phrenetically each other collapsing.
GREENNESS,Video, still, Digital, Color, sound, 8’30”, 2006
I DON’T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN, global view of installation, various sizes, 2002.
From a Project by Oona Ibar
A Concept by Antonio Rovaldi
In collaboration with the Dance School Cap Denaz
Editing and photography: Antonio Rovaldi
Sound Design: Piernicola Di Muro
Postproduction: Kyo film studio
“Time would pass, old empires would fall and new onestake their place. The relations of classes had to change before i discovered that it’s not quality of goods and utility that matters, but movement, not where you are or what
you have, but where you came from, where you are going
and the rate at wich you are getting there”. C.L.R James
L’HISTOIRE DE LAYE,Video still from the documentary, digital, color, sound, 50’,
Journey through the marble quarries, in time becoming natural ecosystems. A man walks in the landscape concluding his
journey in a deep marble quarry where he performs a saxophone solo concert. A work on the power of images and their
intrinsic frailty.
JOB IS MY DANGER (Video intallation),Video still from16mm transfered in dvd, color, sound, 13’20”, 2008
T INQUIRES (LIKE A SOUND PLAYED BY THE WIND), Enamelled ceramic, various sizes, 2005
RABBIT ISLAND-Notes spread on the tides,Video still, digital, color, sound, 4’39”, 2001-2003
THE WHITE BEACHES (Video intallation),Video still, digital, color, sound, 8’20”, 2004
INDIGA,Video Still, digital, color, sound, 4’, 2001
A ‘mnemonic fragment’ of the video Indiga, in which a fisherman on a dyke makes abstract measurements in the space
using a long white fishing rod. The boots of the fisherman in
white ceramics are on the floor with the same fishing rod of
video, folded in transparent case.An iced memory of an action.
IT INQUIRES (LIKE A SOUND PLAYED BY THE WIND): Enamelled ceramic, various sizes, 2005
A huge mass of cold light-green water moves inside a great basin, where a
steep retaining wall separates this water from another smaller basin, some
few meters below. The green water there is of an even lighter shade, almost
edgeless and shallow. This is due to silicon particles container in the rocks of
the mountain: by remaining suspended at the surface, they create that kind
of unique brightness. As if he was measuring the surrounding space, an angler
with a long white fishing rod moves slowly. Meanwhile, huge blocks of ice float
into space.
JUST A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE: Global view of installation, wall painting, photos, foam-rubberand coluored
leatherette modules 140x140x60 cm, various sizes, 2001
We left from Wall Street at 9.00 a.m. and we reached Inwood Park at 5.00 p.m. walking the entire Broadway for 215
blocks. The Native Americans reached Inwood Park from
the Hudson River and set a fire.
SHORAKAPOK (The place between the ridges),Video still, black&white/color, digital, sound, 13’, 2009,
(With Michael Hoepfner)
At dawn. Vapour exhales from the sea. A bright pink streak of light hangs
on the horizon. The white waters flow rapidly from the sewage canal of the
factories at the back of the beach and eventually merge into the sea. The
sun rises and the landscape begins to appear. The sea water is of an intense,
almost candied blue.
The grey and white-streaked sands smell soda, a bitter flavour that sets your
teeth an edge. Something begins to move into the water from afar, perhaps
it’s a strange animal, a big fish hiding amid the whiteness of the landscape now
approaches the shore upstream, white flesh into white water. Night lights
are at once disturbing and alluring, while a voice, maybe Elvis’s, shrouds the
landscape in black.
UPON THE PLACE, Global view of installation, wall painting, photos, table, video projection, various sizes,
2004.
Biography
Antonio Rovaldi was born in Parma in 1975. He studied art and photography at the Naba in Milan, where he
graduate from in 2000. The artist’s research moves around the relative themes and perceptions of spaces and
landscapes, always showing the relations of the different materials used, like that of photography, video, sculptures and drawings. the dimensiones of the distances between spaces and the crossing between the physical and
mental of them, as real or as immaginary as they might be, becomes the constant search of the artist.
From 2006 until today rovaldi divides his time between Milan and New York. In 2006 the artist was one of
the winners of the ‘Premio New York’ from Columbia University, and in 2009 he will be a resident at the ISCP
International studio and Curatorial Program in New York. From 2007 the artist is a professor at Naba. He teaches a master in art and architecture of landscapes, ‘Extraordianary Landscapes’.
Education
2004
Corso Superiore di Arte Visiva Fondazione Ratti, Visiting professor: Jimmie Durham, Como
2000
Naba, Milano
Silpakorn University, Bangkok
Main solo shows
2008
Job is my danger, Monitor, Roma
2006
Premio New York, Italian Academy at Columbia University, New York
2005
I was fine before you came, Spazio Lima, a cura di Andrea Lissoni, Milano
Marcamenti, a cura di Davide Ferri, Museo dell’Arredo Contemporaneo, Ravenna
Cari Signori, Monitor, Roma
2004
Sopra il luogo, Alessandro De March, Milano
2003
Care signore, Alessandro De March, Milano
E questo in sostanza è tutto, Amedeo Martegani A+M Bookstore, Milano
2002
Non ricordo esattamente quando, Monitor, Roma
2001
Un attimo prima, a cura di Marco Scotini, Spazio O’, Milano
Main group shows
2009
Processing a mirage, a cura di Ema Nobile Mino, Futura, Praga
Battiti, a cura di Claudio Libero Pisano, Complesso del S. Michele, Roma
Il cielo in una stanza, a cura di Andrea Bruciati, Galleria d’Arte Contemporanea di Monfalcone
Open studio, Iscp International Artists Studio and Curatorial Program/may 2009, New York
Financial District, a cura di Miguel Amado, Iscp, New York
Usine de reves, 26cc, a cura Sabrina Vedovotto, Roma
L’angelo sigillato, a cura di Rita Selvaggio, Museo di Icone Russe F.Bigazzi, Peccioli (FI)
Optica, Festival di videoarte, Gijon, Madrid, Parigi
2008
Italiani in vacanza, a cura di Pier Luigi Tazzi, Casa Masaccio, San Giovanni Valdarno (FI)
2007
Storytellers, a cura di Pietro Galianò, Castello e Parco dell’Acciaiolo, Scandicci (FI)
2006
Dvd drops, Video artisti fra Italia e Cile, a cura di Marinella Paderni, Villa delle Rose, Bologna
Untitled, a cura di Alessio Ascari e Edoardo Bonaspetti, Spazio Ventura, Milano
Artesto, a cura di Lorella Scacco e Marienne Viglione, Triennale, Milano
Open Air, a cura di Marinella Paderni, Giardino Botanico, Parma.
Premio New York, Miart 2006, a cura di Marco Meneguzzo, Milano
Videopassages, Rassegna video a cura di Emanuela De Cecco, milano
Hopes and dragonflies, Monitor, Roma
2005
Tracce di un seminario, a cura di Giacinto di Pietrantonio e Roberto Pinto, Spazio Farini/Careof, Milano
2004
Mostra del Corso Superiore di Arte Visiva della Fondazione Ratti, Visiting professor Jimmie Durham, a cura di
Giacinto di Pietrantonio e Roberto Pinto, Spazio Ticosa, Como
Video village, a cura di Art-U, Palazzo della Triennale, Milano
On air-Video in onda dall’Italia, a cura di Andrea Bruciati e Antonella Crippa, Galleria Comunale di Monfalcone/
Macro, Roma
Lo sguardo ostinato, a cura di Elio Grazioli, Man, Nuoro
Point de fuit, Caisse d’Epargne Midi-Pyrenees puor l’Art Contemporain, Tuoluose
Our personal vision-Dodici video artisti italiani, a cura di Paola Capata, Futura Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea, Praga
Italia-Cile 64’-Dieci artisti italiani e dieci artisti cileni a confronto, a cura di Antonio Arevalo, Consolato Cileno,
Roma
2003
Imago, a cura di Andrea Bruciati, Galleria Comunale di Monfalcone Q13-Garage Visual Art and Music Project, a cura di Paola Capata, Stefano Coletto, Alberto Zanchetta, Centro
Culturale Candiani, Venezia Mestre
Italia-Cile, Dieci artisti italiani e dieci artisti cileni a confronto, a cura di Antonio Arevalo, Galleria Comunale
d’Arte Contemporanea, Caserta
Cronastorie, Rassegna sulla giovane arte video italiana, a cura di Antonio Arevalo e Paola Capata, Metropolitana, Santiago del Cile
Perspective, Area-Contenitore d’Arte Contemporanea, a cura di Paola Capata e Maria Cristina Bastante,
Roma
2002 Outdoor , Giovane Arte italiana all’estero, a cura di Lorella Scacco, Kultur und Kunstverein, Aschersleben
Doppiavu, Rassegna di video arte all’interno del Festival Internazionale ‘Visionarea’, a cura di Massimiliano Tonelli,
Palazzo delle Papesse, Siena
Viasatellite, Primo Festival Internazionale della Fotografia, a cura di Alessandra Galletta, Mercati Traianei, Roma
2001
La torre di Babele, a cura di Marco Scotini, Museo di Villa Croce, Genova
Arteviva, Emozione ottica come poesia, Omaggio a Mario Giacomelli, Senigallia
Jung Kunst aus italien, a cura di Ulrich Schneider, Karlsruhe/Overberbechk Gesellschaft, Lubeck/ Suermondt
Ludwig Museum, Aachen/ Verkaufhaus der Mercedes Benz Vetrutung Der Daimler Crysler, Ludenscheid/Kulturrhaus Atles Rathaus, Postdam/ Johanniskirche, Magdeburg,/ Documenta Halle, Kassel
2000
Homo ludens Video italiano, a cura di Florencia Acevalo, Centro Cultural Parque de Espana, Buenos Aires
Auguri Monica, Insediamento temporaneo, a cura di Marco Scotini, Galleria Bordone, Milano
Italia-Thailandia Art Space 2000, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailandia
Transart 2000
Festival-Laboratorio Teatro Danza Arti Visive, Labin
Battifredo-Da fienile a terra di vedetta, Giovani artisti dell’Archivio Farini, Castel S. Pietro Terme, Bologna
House sweet home, Riflessioni sull’abitare contemporaneo, a cura di Studio Ventisette, Spazio Ventisette, Milano
Performances
2002
I’ll love you forever forgetting you, ‘Vice Versa 2002’, a cura di Giovanni Leghissa (performance realizzata con
Sara Serighelli), Vienna.
1999
Negli spigoli dei ricordi, ‘Concetto-Coincidenza’, a cura di Gertrude Moser Wagner e Beverly Piersol, Esprit
Nouveau, Bologna.
Awards and grants
2009
Iscp, International Artists Studio & Curatorial Program, New York
Finalista per la Borsa di Studio ‘Amici sostenitori del Castello di Rivoli, Rivoli (TO)
Here, Site specific artist residency, Swing Space and Lmcc, New York
2007
Selezionato per il Premio Querini-Furla per l’Arte
2005
Premio New York, Italian Academy, Columbia University, New York
2004
Corso Superiore di Arte visiva Fondazione Ratti, Visiting professor: Jimmie Durham, Como
2002
Movin’Up, Circuito giovani artisti Italiani, Ministero per gli Affari Esteri, Roma
2000
Italia-Thailandia Art Space 2000, Silpakorn University, Bangkok
1999
Premio d’Arte Mercedes Benz, Centro d’Arte La Loggia, Montefiridolfi, (FI)
Special projects
2007
L’histoire de Laye, Presentazione del documentario, Spazio O’, Milano
2006
Notes from the city/notes from the land, Progetto di Sara Serighelli, the LeRoy Neiman Gallery, Columbia University School of the Art, New York
Lectures
2009
Una certa idea dell’Italia/2, Incontri con il video, a cura di Simone Menegoi, Interzona, Verona
2008
Accademia di Brera, Milano
Naba, Milano
2005
Facoltà di architettura Politecnico, Piacenza
2003
Facoltà di Architettura Politecnico, Milano
Bibliography
Magazines
2009
Open studio, Iscp International Artists Studio and Curatorial Program, New York
2008
Valentina Ciuffi, Job is my danger, in Arte e Critica, Dicembre 2007-Febbraio 2008, N.53
2007
Giovane arte a Milano, in Flash Art N.263, Aprile/maggio
2006
Davide Ferri, Ouverture, in Flash Art n.260, Ottobre/Novembre
Hopes and dragonflies, Monitor, Valentina Bernabei, in Flash Art N. 260, Ottobre/Novembre
2004
Alfredo Sigolo, Imago, Flash Art N. 244, Febbraio/marzo
2003
imago, in Flash Art N.243, Dicembre/Gennaio.
Paola Capata, Our personal vision, Elementi per un nuovo linguaggio video in Italia, in Arte e Critica, N. 35/36
Ottobre/Dicembre.
Musei d’Italia, Casamica, Allegato al Corriere della Sera del 5 luglio, N.7/8.
Antonella Crippa, Tema celeste N. 98, Luglio/Agosto
Annamaria Sigalotti, Arte e Critica N.34, Aprile/Giugno
Giorgio Fedeli, Flash Art N.239, Aprile/Maggio
Patrizia Coggiola, Arte testurizzata, Segnali di una nuova estetica bidimensionale, Mood N.3, Febbraio
2002
Giovane fotografia italiana, Flash Art N.233, Aprile/Maggio
Orietta Berlanda, Outdor-italian artist in Germany, Segno N.187, Novembre/Dicembre; Arte e Critica N.33,
Gennaio/Marzo
Paola Capata, Maria Egizia Fiaschetti, ‘Non ricordo esattamente quando-Appunti videovulcano 2002’
Exibart.
Massimilano Tonelli, Doppiavù, Rassegna di videoarte italiana nell’ambito di Visionarea, Palazzo delle
Papesse, Exibart
Catalogues
2010
Laboratorio Italia, La fotografia nell’arte contemporanea, a cura di Marinella Paderni, Johan&Levi
2009
Il cielo in una stanza, a cura di Andrea Bruciati, Galleria Comunale di Monfalcone.
Laboratorio Italia Fotografia, a cura di Marinella Paderni, Johan & Levi.
Istant Book, Italian artists New York, Charta.
2008
L’angelo sigillato, Rita Selvaggio (a cura di), Museo di Icone Russe F.Bigazzi, Peccioli, (Fi)
Italiani in vacanza, Pier Luigi Tazzi (a cura di), Casa Masaccio, San Giovanni Valdarno (Fi)
2006
Lorella Scacco, Marianne Viglione (a cura di), Connect to Art, Art mobility: innovation and reflection, Skira
Marinella Paderni (a cura di), Open air, in S.Lorenzo/3
2005
Laura Sasso (a cura di), La continuità e lo specchio, Progettare architetture e paesaggi fluviali, liybra Imagine
Edizioni.
Giulio Ciavoliello (a cura di), Dagli anni 80 in poi – Il mondo dell’arte contemporanea in Italia, Art Show Edizioni. 2003 Paola Capata, Stefano Coletto, Alberto Zonchetta (a cura di), Q13 garage Visual Art and Music Project.
Andrea Bruciati, Stefano Chiodi (a cura di), Imago
Antonio Arevalo e Paola Capata (a cura di), Cronastorie, La scena emergente dei videoartisti italiani
Giancarlo Politi e Luca Beatrice (a cura di), Dizionario della giovane arte italiana, Giancarlo Politi Editore
2002
Lorella Scacco ( a cura di), Outdor-italians artist in Germany, Ascherleber Kunst und Kulturverein
Alessandra Galletta (a cura di), Via satellite, Primo Festival Internazionale di Fotografia, Roma, Mercati Traianei, B.
Mondadori
Paolo Campiglio, Angela Madesani, Francesco Tedeschi (a cura di), ‘Periscopio 2002’, Mazzotta
X festival europeo Arteviva, Emozione ottica come poesia, Senigallia 2002 2001
Sandra Solimano (a cura di), Globe:la torre di Babele, Museo di Villa cCoce, Genova
2000
Amnon Barzel e Fabio Cavallucci (a cura di), Isola felice, Premio Mercedes Benz per l’Arte Contemporanea
2000, Allemandi
ulrich schneider (a cura di), junge kunst aus italian,
Kassel/Magdeburg/Postdam/Ludenscheid/Aachen/Lubeck/karlsrue, 2000/2001
Studio Ventisette (a cura di), House Sweet Home-Riflessione sull’abitare contemporaneo, Studio ventisette
Edizioni, Milano 2000
Artist books
2005
Emanuela De Cecco, Davide Ferri (a cura di), Marcamenti, Catalogo della mostra personale al museo dell’Arredo Contemporaneo di Ravenna, Essegi Edizioni, Ravenna