Dalí Universe presents an exhibition in Italy dedicated to Dalí, in Capri, the island in the Gulf of Naples.
More than seventy artworks, from bronze monumental sculpture, to hand signed illustrations, glass sculpture and Gold objects, will be on show in locations throughout the island, from the end of June until September.
The exhibition, entitled ‘L’Eleganza del Surrealismo’ ( The Elegance of Surrealism) takes place at the Hotel La Residenza, close to Capri’s central piazza, and will run from June 29th til 15th September.
The monumental bronze sculpture Woman Aflame, reaching over three and a half metres tall, will be exhibited at the main port of Capri, the Porto Turistica where ferries run to Molo Beverello in Naples. This imposing monumental work has travelled the world, and was previously shown in Singapore, Courchevel, New York, Taipei, and Taiwan.
Amongst the larger sized bronze sculptures travelling to Capri, are the Space Elephant – to be placed at the Hotel La Palma, the surreal Giraffe Woman and the eccentric Spoon Chair. Hotel La Palma dates back to 1822 and is in the heart of Capri.
Dalí once said: “Painting is only an infinitesimal part of my personality”, and, with regard to this, the President of the Dalí Universe, Beniamino Levi, is keen to stress the polyhydric character of the Catalan artist: “in Dalí’s sculptural work, the fantastic, distorted and exaggerated expressions are just as evident, and this makes his work immediately identifiable, unique”.
“We are proud to be able to exhibit the Dalí Universe Collection in Capri”, commented the President of the Dalí Universe, Beniamino Levi, “principally because 2019 is the thirtieth anniversary year since Dalí’s death… our show in Capri seals the bond between Dalí and Italy, a bond which is recognisable in all the artistic works here on display of the Catalan master”.
Daum Glass sculpture, three ethereal glass creations dating from the 1970s when Dalí collaborated with Daum in Nancy, France, and several pieces of Surreal Furniture sculpture, will be on exhibit in Hotel La Residence.
Instead the Snail and the Angel museum sculpture will stand in the park of Hotel La Residence; Dalí was obsessed with snails, they were a fetish of his and a source of inspiration for his artistic oeuvre.
Anacapri, located on the slopes of Monte Solaro, is the less well-known side of this magical island. The Surrealist Piano museum sculpture is the perfect artwork to complement the breathtakingly beautiful Piazza della Torre in front of the Casa Rossa, former residence of the American John Clay Mackowen, an avid collector and archeologist who was based on the island during the nineteenth century.
Dalí loved Italy, between 1935 and 1937, Dalí and Gala travelled extensively throughout Italy. 1938 saw Dalí travel to Sicily, the landscape made an impression on the artist, reminding him of his hometown Cadaques.
The bronze sculptures, and accompanying graphic works, with the magical island of Capri as the backdrop, bring to light Dalí’s unique ability to transform the complex symbolism of his paintings into a three-dimensionalvisions.
