Solakov “frescoes” il Castello di Ama
"amadoodles"
Small stories, ironic allusions, stylized men, phrases which invite to word or action, light signs of intelligent hands strictly done in black on white and inspired by the beauty of the place: they are the “amadoodles” of Nedko Solakov, the eighth work of art at Castello di Ama. Marco and Lorenza Pallanti continue the work of artistic patronage begun in 2000 with the project “Castello di Ama for Contemporary Art”, thus enriching the Chianti village each year with new art works realized ‘in situ’ by important Italian and foreign artists.
The Bulgarian artist has worked on the walls of the large and evocative hall on the ground floor of one of two eigtheenth century villas owned by the winery and located in the ancient village of Ama. The work this time is of a pictoral-design nature with “affreschi” that reinterpret the existing frescos which adorn the villa’s upper floor in a richly imaginatively way. The work of art “amadoodles” is composed of a series of small stories designed on the walls of the hall of Ama, and rendered with the same simplicity and grace of a child’s drawing, hence the term doodle. A true iconic itinerary contradistinguished by the necessity of focalizing the small designs on the large white walls. A sort of play of images and stories which induce the curious visitor to attempt to discover the various places where the artist has left his mark: from the corners of the walls, to the frames of the electrical outlets, or the mantle of the large fireplace.
With this work the artist wanted, as his predecessors, to underline the specificity of the place. “The small lines which I traced on the walls of the hall” Solakov explained when the work was completed “constitute mapping which tries to explain the real nature of the space. The work has revealed itself very significant for me as well, being my first permanent work realized for a private commission. At Ama I was struck and inspired by the evident fecundity born from the balanced rapport between man, nature, tradition, and modernity.”
“As usual was an encounter among people which sparked the desire to work with Nedko Solakov” commented Marco Pallanti, expert wine maker and director of the Castello di Ama “Solakov guides the visitor into abandoning the superficiality, tied to his extremely graceful designs, in order to conduct him toward the intimate message of his stories. This approach has many aspects in common with our work and with that which we ask of those who open a bottle of our wine. Behind the allure immediated played by the aroma, the color and the initial pleasantness there is all the tradition and the history of the place, there’s the noble origin, its culture to discover. We are very pleased that Solakov, like the rest of the artists who preceded him, has captured our identity, expressing it freely ‘in situ,’ following his own inventiveness.”
Before Nedko Solakov seven artists have left the mark of their creativity at Ama, first Michelangelo Pistoletto “L’Albero di Ama” (2000), followed in chronological order by Daniel Buren “Sulle vigne: Punti di vista”, Giulio Paolini “Paradigma”, Kendell Geers “Noitu(love)r”, Anish Kapoor “Aima”, Chen Zhen “La lumière intérieur du corps humain”, and Carlos Garaicoa with the work “Yo no quiero ver más a mis vecinos” completed last year.
The inauguration of the new work of art that took place at Castello di Ama was enriched and completed by the exhibition of another artist, the Italian composer and jazz pianist Francesco Maccianti. The Florentine musician performed “Songs for Ama”, a musical composition written expressly for Castello di Ama and inspired by the beauty and magic of the village. An intense and elegant rhythm, capable of feeding on this enchanted place and of tying itself to the traditions of this land. So doing musical expression has also been conceived as a new artisitic creation and will enrich the prestigious permanent collection, with a live recording of the performance.
Biographical Notes
Nedko Solakov:
Since the beginning of the nineties, Nedko Solakov (born in 1957 in Cherven Briag, Bulgaria, he lives in Sophia) has realized numerous exhibitions in Europe and in the United States. Among the more important we remember:
Aperto ’93 (Biennial of Venice); la 48a, 49a, 50a e 52a Biennial of Venice; la 3a, 4a e 9a Biennial of Istambul; Biennial of Sao Paolo ’94; Manifesta 1, Rotterdam; la 2a e 4a Biennial of Gwangju; 5a Biennial of Lione; Sonsbeek 9, Arnhem; la 4a e 5a Biennial of Cetinje; 1a Biennial of Lodz; la 7a Biennial of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 3a Biennial of Tirane; 2a Biennial of Seville; 2a Biennial of Moscow e Documenta 12.
Recently he realized personal exhibitions at the Museu do Chiado, Lisbon; Stichting De Appel, Amsterdam; CCA Kitakyushu, Japan; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid; The Israel Museum, Gerusalemme; Centro d’Art Santa Monica, Barcellona and at the Kunsthaus, Zurich. From 2003 to 2005 the retrospective exhibition “A 12 1/3 (and even more) Year Survey” was presented at the Casino of Luxembourg, at the Rooseum Malmoe and at the O.K Centrum of Linz.
Francesco Maccianti
Following a classical education he dedicated himself to jazz music attending courses in Siena led by Franco D’Andrea and later founded the Centro Attività Musicali (C.A.M.), where he teaches piano and ensemble music. He is engaged in intense concert activity, which sees him collaborate with some of the most important Italian musicians (Pietro Tonolo, Maurizio Giammarco, Larry Nocella, Paolo Fresu, Fabio Morgera, Luca Flores,Sandro Gibellini, Riccardo Bianchi, Marco Tamburini, Roberto Rossi, Giovanni Tommaso, Flavio Boltro) and foreign (Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Harry Sweets Edison, Sal Nistico, Richie Cole, Joe Chambers, EssietOkon Essiet).
He has recorded the albums TEST, SALVO, OASI and MOSAICO. His most recent album INTERSECTION was recorded as a Trio with Essiet Okon Essiet at the contrabass and Joe Chambers at the drums.
The work of Nedko Solakov, as well as the others, will be open to the public by appointment starting 17 September.
Information can be found at www.castellodiama.com
17.09.2007
