Dalí Universe, in collaboration with the Municipality of Vicenza and IEG, the Italian Exhibition Group, is proud to take part in the third edition of VIOFF, the Vicenza Oro Trade Show Fringe Festival, from the 6th to the 8th of September, dedicated to the art world and the wealth and variety of all its forms of expression.
Within the scope of Golden Arts, which concentrates this year on presenting the concept of art in an all-round perspective, the versatile figure of Salvador Dalí has been chosen as the main protagonist of the trade show’s festival, and indeed is the very incarnation of the spirit of this event, dedicated as it is to the countless expressions of the art world.
Side by side with the Catalan master, the third edition of VIOFF wishes to pay homage to one of the most important figures in the history of western architecture, who left an immense cultural and architectural heritage to the town of Vicenza: the Italian architect and scenographer of the Renaissance, Andrea Palladio.
In fact it will be the Dalí - Palladio binomial that will represent the focal point and the spirit of the third edition of VIOFF. The entire centre of Vicenza will be transformed into an open air museum which will bring together in one urban context the harmonic dicothomy of Surrealism and Classicism by means of the sculptures of Dalí and the architecture of Palladio.
From the 5th of September, at the Vicenza Expo Centre, it will be possible to admire two monumental size sculptures conceived by Salvador Dalí and part of one of the most important private collections in the whole world of the works of the Catalan artist – a result of the profound collaboration and friendship between Salvador Dalí and Beniamino Levi, Italian collectionist and President of the Dalí Universe.
After the trade show is over, the two monumental sculptures “Dance of Time I” and “Homage to Terpsichore” will be relocated in the heart of Vicenza, one in the Piazza delle Erbe and the other in Piazza Esedra di Campo Marzo, so giving the possibility to residents and tourists alike to have a close look at the works of the great Catalan genius up till 26th January 2020.
Other bronze sculptures which are included in Beniamino Levi’s noteworthy Collection can be admired in the historic centre of Vicenza: Piazza Matteotti will host “Space Venus”, while Piazza dei Signori will be dominated by the “Triumphant Elephant”. Dalí’s fascination with flamenco can be admired in the splendid Palladian Basilica, which will host the “Dalinian Dancer”, while the Dalinian obsession with time will be represented in Piazza di San Lorenzo by the “Dance of Time III” artwork. Last but not least, while strolling between Corso Palladio and Contrà Cavour, one can come across the sculpture “Surrealist Piano” - the homage to the metamorphosis of a grand piano into a dancing surrealist object.
The Jewellery Museum will have on show “Arte preziosa. Le sculture gioiello di Salvador Dalí (Precious Art. The jewellery sculpture of Salvador Dalí)” from 7th September to 26th January 2020, so offering an exclusive and fascinating experience to visitors in the evocative surroundings of the Palladian Basilica.
“In jewels, as in all my art, I create what I love”, said Salvador Dalí. For the artist, gold was “a celebration of the soul, a sign of purity” to be symbolized in his work, as a guarantee of eternity and an opportunity to be in harmony with the Cosmos.
The exhibition “Arte preziosa. Le sculture gioiello di Salvador Dalí” at the Jewellery Museum will present to the public a selection of significant sculptures part of the jewelled sculpture Collection, including “Lady Godiva with Butterflies” and “Triumphant Angel”; side by side with some silver sculptures, such as “Alice in Wonderland” and “Unicorn”; and a selection from the corpus of gold artworks, among which we would like to mention “Dalí Fleur" and “Soleil Glorieux".
The opportunity of being able to admire, within a single context, Dalinian oneiric fluidity alongside Palladian architectural rigour, and the dichotomy between Surrealism and Classicism, will seal the Dalí-Palladio binomial through the richness of Dalí’s sculptural work and the appeal of Palladio’s architecture.
The year 2019 marks the thirtieth anniversary of Salvador Dalí’s death, and Dalí Universe is proud to commemorate #30AfterDali in the wonderful city of Vicenza by taking part in the third edition of VIOFF, the Vicenza Oro Trade Show Fringe Festival.
“The exhibition of the Dalí Universe Collection in Vicenza”, comments the President of Dalí Universe, Mr. Beniamino Levi, “offers the opportunity to admire the sculpture alongside the architecture of two great personalities, within a context of great historical and artistic value, such as the city of Vicenza.”
In this regard Mr. Beniamino Levi adds: “The symbolic conversation between Dalí and Palladio, in the year that marks the thirtieth anniversary of the death of the Catalan genius, brings to completion the project launched at the beginning of 2019, in the historic ‘Sassi’ town of Matera, with the exhibition Salvador Dalí “The Persistence of Opposites”. Both cities of Vicenza and Matera, with their fascinating scenery, seal the strong bond that Dalí had with Italy, combined with the profound admiration that the artist openly stated to have for Classicism and for the painters and architects of the Italian Renaissance”.
