Dott. Prof. Stefano Francolini

WATER FOR LIFE, INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION 2018: Message from Dott. Prof. Stefano Francolini, Art Critic and Art Historian 

Message from

Dott. Prof. Stefano Francolini, Art Critic and Art Historian 

14 May 2018

WATER FOR LIFE

INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION 2018.

 

Translated from Italian, unedited quote

Beyond the personal expressive characters of form, style and creative process, artist’s artworks content and messages embrace universal feelings and human realities.

Nature is the first reference of humanity, as life springs and evolves through time, seasons and history. Humans live with essential elements for their survival such as; the earth in its widest sense, air, heat from the sun, and water.

Based on the current conditions in the world, all nations should be responsible to protect these elements. The quality and quantity of available water is of fundamental importance for the preservation and continuity of life and should be a universal aim to protect it.

Water is a source of inspiration for artists as emphasized through their artworks: the lack of it makes water even more precious, as a source of energy, and as a result helps humanity’s survival.

Artist’s through their emotion and fascination interpret in their artwork the vastness of the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers, while combining their human amazement in seeing waterfalls, or feeling the rain drops falling from the clouds, or quietly experiencing the water becoming ice.

Also considered an ancestral element, water takes the symbolism of purification, as used in many liturgical rituals of different religions, but can also inspire fear when it manifests itself as an unstoppable and uncontainable force. Water is a big part of the human constitution and our history.

This is why I feel honoured to accept Antoine Gaber’s invitation to write a prelude about the purpose of ‘Water for Life’ international event and support the participation of these artists from 18 countries.

In my personal opinion, this event is highly relevant and of great significance in the complex context of contemporary art and its promotion in the world. Through different expressive languages, contents and messages it provides high moral and social values relating to water and its usage, especially when considering that currently on our planet, 1 in 7 people don’t have the opportunity to have clean water to quench their thirst.

 

Professor Stefano Francolini (Florence, Italy)

Art Historian

Former Coordinator Director C3Super Ministry Heritage and Cultural Activities

Former Professor of History and Restoration Theory at the “’Accademia di Belle Arti” in Carrara

 

17 March 2006

 

The glamour of impression or Antoine Gaber’s artwork by Dott. Prof. Stefano Francolini

Noble of Fermo Art Historian

Former Coordinator Director C3 Super Ministry of Culture

Translated from Italian, unedited quote [download]

Antoine Gaber’s artwork, mostly floral or landscapes themes, denotes a close influence or dependence of the French artistic culture of the nineteenth century impressionist painting style with a clear and evident desire of recreating it’s atmosphere, form and elegance.

In the XXI century, Antoine Gaber’s style of painting seems to be a “revival” of this wonderful art, of which the artist has an in-deep knowledge and admiration, but without emphasising its heaviness or nostalgic features. Gaber instead selects the precise allusion of shape and style of his personal artistic expression.

Antoine Gaber’s artwork might seem to some people just elegant and refined, to other it might be considered as a temporal expression of art lacking of the contemporary features. From my perspective, his form and choice of his style of artwork, reveals his own poetic interpretation of reality. His interpretation reveals the artist’s evident desire of rebuilding a modern figurative language widely proved and universally prized, such as the well-known French impressionism. Gaber communicates with his own contemporary state which is often expressed in the consistent joining of the chromatic matter with strong contrast of light, a natural influence of his native Egyptian environment.

Even if Antoine Gaber remains firmly anchored to this particular style, he is at the same time developing new expressive ways to maintain a dialogue with his style, as seen in his recent convex paintings exhibited during the 5th Edition of the International Biennial of Contemporary Art of Florence, Italy. In this particular painting the coloured background allowed to visualise an explosion of bursting colourful flowers and leaves.

Dott. Prof. Stefano Francolini

 

Stefano Francolini was born in Colle di Val d’Elsa (SI) in 1951.

He graduated with a degree in Literature and later received a diploma of specialization in Medieval and Modern Art. From 1978 to 1981 he served as an art historian for the Supervisor of Art and History of Siena and Grosseto. In 1981, he became a surveyor and Art Historian for the Superintendent of the Environment, Architecture, Art and History for the Provinces of Cagliari and Oristano.

In 1982 he returned to Florence where he served as Vice-Director at the Pitti Palace’s Silver Museum. In 1989, he became the functionary for the Florentine Basilica.

From March 1993 to May 2000, he was the Director of the Davanzati Museum. He then went on to become the Director of the Restoration Department at the Opificio delle Pietre dure di Firenze. He also teaches Art History at the Institute and at the International Art University of Florence.

Organizing and participating in exhibitions, he has always been interested in the contemporary Art evolution. He has published many essays on Art History as well as a book of poetry.