fibreglass sand pigment and mild steel

Artwork date: 2009
Exhibited: Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg, 'Marco Cianfanelli: Absent Fields', 1 to 24 October 2009.

(7)

5 measuring approximately 42 x 75 cm; one measuring 45 x 38 cm; one measuring 50 x 45cm

Provenance:

Private collection, Johannesburg.
Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Known for blending art, architecture, and public space, Marco Cianfanelli stands out amongst his peers as an artist who seamlessly navigates both public and domestic spheres.

Central to his practice is an emphasis on the interconnectedness of all things. His exploration extends beyond the physical, delving into the interconnections between microorganisms and planets. From intricate maquettes to grand public sculptures, his spheroid creations simultaneously reference microscopic and celestial forms.

Another key aspect of the artist’s work is that of omission. A part of an object may not be entirely visible, hidden, or missing. This invites the viewer to contemplate what remains and what has been obscured or erased. While his work often engages with blank spaces and the images or patterns resulting from omission, it goes beyond a pursuit of formal abstraction as he maintains very specific references and imagery.

Cianfanelli’s, SPHERES - FUTURE, PAST AND PRESENT, I-VII, formed part of the artist’s sixth solo exhibition, titled Absent Fields, held at Goodman Galley in 2009, where he embarked on an “adventure in search of forms that prompt subtler responses to the complex natural and built environments in which we find ourselves”.[1]

[1] Dodd, A. (2009). Marco Cianfanelli: Absent Fields, Johannesburg: Goodman Gallery.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE

• Cianfanelli has won numerous awards including the ABSA L’Atelier, which culminated in a residency at the Cité des Arts in Paris and an Ampersand Fellowship, which took him to New York.
• In 2012 his most iconic work Release, a monumental, fragmented portrait of Nelson Mandela was erected in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on the 50^th anniversary of Mandela’s arrest there in 1962.
• He was a member the design team for The Freedom Park, South Africa’s national monument to freedom, situated in Pretoria.
• The artist has completed numerous other public projects, internationally including Pulse, Nike HQ, USA, Falcons, a collaboration with architect Jeremy Rose, Abu Dhabi and We Love our Customers, Hungarian Embassy, New York and locally Synapse, Alice Lane, Sandton, Transpiration, Rosebank Towers, Seed, Standard Bank, Rosebank and Dying Slave, Spier Wine Estate.
• Cianfanelli participated in the 6th Beijing International Art Biennale in China in 2015 and The Cairo Bienale in Cairo 2010.

COLLECTIONS

The artist is represented in numerous local collections, notably, the SASOL Art collection, Johannesburg; ABSA collection, Johannesburg and the Bloemfontein Art Museum.