This summer Los Angeles is hosting twelve iconic Dalí bronze sculptures on Two Rodeo Drive, an exclusive upmarket shopping area located just off Rodeo Drive, in Beverly Hills, California. The three-month exhibition is organized by Galerie Michael together with The Stratton Institute - the entity responsible for loaning the artworks to the exhibition.
Benjamin Levi, President of the Stratton Institute, is well known for his involvement with Salvador Dalí and museum exhibitions. To date, he has successfully organized over 100 critically and publically acclaimed exhibitions, which have had over 12 million entrances. Mr Levi was one of the people who best knew of Dalí’s work, having personally known him and his entourage since the 1960s, meeting him at his homes around the world. It was from this series of meetings with the charismatic and eccentric artist who applied the principles of Surrealism to his life, that Levi’s idea for collecting three-dimensional Dalí artworks came, forming over the year’s one of the richest and most interesting collections in the world.
Mr Levi, commented ‘It is an honor and privileged to see Dalí sculpture exhibiting on one of the most prestigious streets in the world.’
Dalí was unquestionably one of the great artistic giants of this past century. His profound surrealist vision and artistic talent produced memorable artworks that have never diminished in their popularity with the public. Dalí exhibitions invariably attract large numbers of visitors, and have broken all attendance records at international museums time and time again.
This open- air exhibition in California, highlights two particularly important aspects of Dalí’s creativity; a skilled draftsman, Dalí worked in many artistic mediums, sculpture being just one of them.
Monumental bronze sculptures, measure between three and a half and five meters tall and four examples of these have been shipped via sea, to adorn Rodeo Drive; they are the Woman Aflame; The Unicorn, Persistence of Memory and Saint George and the Dragon. The Persistence of Memory, stands an incredible five meters high, with its melted clock, it is reminiscent of Dalí’s 1931, oil painting, the ‘Persistence of Memory’.
The eight museum sized sculptures in the exhibition, include the Dance of Time II, the melting watch being the most well- known and beloved of Dalí’s images - the artist chose to portray this image consistently through his lifetime since 1931, and the Triumphant Elephant, Dalí’s iconoclastic symbol of the future.
The museum sized ‘Horse saddled with Time’ and ‘Triumphant Angel’ sculpture, can be found inside Galerie Michael itself.
This sculpture grouping forms part of a much larger collection of Dalí sculpture that has been displayed in many world-famous museums. This is a rare and unique occasion to view an enthralling Collection which attests to Dalí’s talent and his untamed imagination, offering a surreal and unique experience.
An elegant VIP invite only Vernissage will be taking place mid July. The exhibition is being organised by Galerie Michael in co-operation with not only the Stratton Institute, but also ‘Operation Smile’ an international medical charity that has provided hundreds of thousands of free medical treatment for children and young adults in developing countries. It is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and lives of children worldwide.
The exhibition is taking place with the kind patronage of the City of Beverly Hill
