Luciano Fabro

[abknight@zzzzzz]

A small, poorly illustrated look into the mind of Luciano
Fabro, b. 1936 Turin.
http://public.fotki.com/abknight/luciano_fabro/

His "Birth of Venus" made the current standard Art History
101 survey textbook, which duly labelled it an oddity.  I
wish I had found a better photo of it.
I quote:
"Traditional sculpture has been of little significance in
postmodernism, because the emphasis on form in recent
architecture has usurped its function.  In fact, sculpture
seems almost out of place when it does make an appearance.
 A rare example is...(Birth of Venus)...
Although some would deny it, TBOV is clearly a Post-modern
work.  What makes it so is the improbable juxtaposition,
which is a knowing misquotation of the past.  Yet the
ironic takeoff is accomplished with all the gravity of an
artist for whom sculpture is both a living tradition and a
dead language needing to be revived.  It is a serious
business that does not, however, rule out a certain
irrevernce for this vestifial relic.  The real suprise is
that the piece is so effective, for in its muteness it
contains a spellbinding mystery."

Nice to see something in stone make the cut to be in the
book but they're "surprised" it works!  Why I oughta...