Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago director Tina Cervone welcomed a large audience to Lorenzo Mattotti’s first solo Chicago art exhibition last night. In her presentation remarks, she gave special thanks to Consul General of Italy, Alessandro Motta, for his presence at the opening of this special show, which runs through July 30.
Visitors to the Italian Cultural Institute's beautiful gallery space have the opportunity of viewing the full range of Mattotti's artwork: sixty-three drawings, magazine covers, comic book narratives, poster designs and illustrations, covering a large portion of his recent production. The artwork is divided into series which demonstrate the richness of his work and the themes he explores. Mattotti's splendid covers for The New Yorker Magazine, Internazionale Magazine, and Cosmopolitan are also on view.
In Italy a young, innovative generation of artists is working on comics art; they have succeeded in making this an important, respected medium. Mattotti is also one of those rare artists who has made a name for himself in the commercial sector without losing his integrity. Whether creating personal and edgy animations or whimsical, intensely colorful fashion illustrations, the sweetness and melancholy of Mattotti’s sensibility, his unique voice, always come through.
Mattotti’s career spans over thirty years. Born in Brescia in 1954, he studied architecture in Venice before deciding to turn his talents to comics art. His credits include graphic novels and children’s books. “Fires,” “Murmur,” Collodi’s beloved “Pinocchio,” and Lou Reed’s “The Raven” are among the most famous. He has carried out major poster commissions from Cannes, Turin and the city of Rio de Janeiro. Mattotti is also a sought-after animation artist, and his work in the movies “Eros” and “Peur du noir” demonstrate the power of his imagination and his technical ability. In addition, he has exhibited in Europe's most prestigious venues.
Lorenzo Mattotti is known for his vibrant colors and flowing compositions. In fact, on entering this gallery with Mattotti’s work lining the walls, one feels an immediate psychological lift. His images are dreamlike, whimsical. Pulitzer prize winning comics artist Art Spiegelman had this to say about Mattotti’s images: “It seems I have already seem them in my dreams.”
His drawings and illustrations are not merely decorative, however. The spiritual dimension of his works is very strong. The works are powerful because behind the beauty is a deep sensitivity and a melancholy feeling. You could say that Mattotti has a genius for conveying sadness and solitariness behind gorgeous facades.
This exhibit by Lorenzo Mattotti was enjoyed greatly by everyone who attended. Director Tina Cervone pointed out in her remarks last night that much of the exhibit's success was due to the hard work of the staff and interns at the Italian Cultural Institute and the Consulate General of Italy.