Press release—Peter Marino at Gagosian Davies Street, London
May 22, 2017
PETER MARINO FIRE AND WATER Opening reception: Sunday, June 25, 6–8PM June 25–August 11, 2017 17–19 Davies Street London W1K 3DE
Gagosian is pleased to present “Fire and Water,” an exhibition of sculpted bronze boxes by renowned architect Peter Marino. This series of cast bronze objects is Marino's third, following two previous series produced in 2012 and 2014. The new boxes are finished in a variety of patination techniques: gilded, silvered, and blackened. In this new series, Marino reveals his deep connection to the traditions of bronze metal work. One of the first and best documented materials in human history, the use of bronze permeates art-historical traditions, from devotional musical bells and coinage to weaponry and statuary. In his third book of Odes, the Roman poet Horace spoke of a creation “aere perennius,” meaning “more lasting than bronze,” now a prophetic saying attesting to the durability of art. About ten years ago, Marino was gripped by the discovery of a boat that sank in 350 BC off the Turkish coast en route from Greece to Italy. Original bronze works, more than two thousand years old, were recovered from the ancient vessel. Captivated by the idea of a material that outlasts entire civilizations, Marino began to work with bronze, combining the architectural with the ornamental, obdurate materiality with ephemeral gesture. CONTINUE READING...
