Masters of the 13Th, 14Th and 15Th Century
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MASTERS OF THE 13TH, 14TH AND 15TH ceNTURY Stoning of Saint Stephen (Initial E [t enim] sederunt) Last quarter of the 13th century 484 × 340 mm MASTER OLIVETANO ILLUMINATOR FRom (LomBARDY) FLORENCE Initial cut out from a choir book Initial cut out from a gradual with with Communion of the Apostles Stoning of Saint Stephen (Initial C) (initial Cibavit eos) Late 15th century 1439 365 × 318 mm MASTER OF THE DECRETALS OF LUCQUES, BOLOGNA Illuminated fragment of a judicial codex with Elevation of the Host 1270-1275 103 × 80 mm ILLUMINATOR FRom ABRUZZO Initial cut out from an antiphonal with Christ in Majesty with Saints and Prophets (Initial Aspiciens a longe) MASTER OF SENECA, Late 13th century BOLOGNA 287 × 368 mm Choir sheet with Christ and Virgins (Initial Veni sponsa Christi) Early 14th century 603 × 417 mm NERIO, BOLOGNA Initial from a gradual with Resurrection of Christ (Initial Resurrexi) Early 14th century 280 × 183 mm MAESTRO OF THE LATTANZIO RICCARDIANO, FLORENCE Initial cut out from a gradual with Resurrection of Christ ANONYmoUS ILLUMINATOR (Initial Resurrexi) FRom CENTRAL ITALY 1460-1465 Page from a gradual with 265 × 232 mm Danh_Vo_04_ING_esec.indd 1 02/04/15 11:48 LEONOR ANTUNES the 11th to 16th century. They are Mexico City, where she had previously a testament to various schools of produced random intersections #6 for illumination, styles, and geographic a show in 2011, and came across a origins. These fragments derive from new, especially conspicuous one, which the transformation of the function of she reproduced for this exhibition and illuminated manuscripts that resulted titled #14; it is the only braided version from the suppression of the monastic presented here. random intersections #4 orders by Napoleon in 1810, following an was modeled after a bridle found in Italian campaign that left a trail of looting Portugal. The remaining two on view are and depredation. replicated after two other western-style Rendered useless, antiphonals, graduals, bridles, which the artist speculates are of and psalters were dismantled, as were French, Spanish, or Portuguese origin. the convent and monasteries’ libraries in Without any horses to maintain their which they were stored. Some, such as form, the bridles remain faint outlines the library of the Vatican, in 1798 were of absent bodies. They are hung together plundered (and in the case of the Vatican, vertically, such that their respective weight the spoils were subsequently sold at and materials determines their form Christie’s in 1825). The illustrated parts, and increases their degree of abstraction. either images or initials, were often cut out and assembled by “collage” on pages RANDom INTERSECTIONS #4 put up for sale. Separated from the text, 2009-2012 they acquired a new aesthetic value. RANDom INTERSECTIONS #12 However, other factors give these 2015 fragments their “figurative dignity.” RANDom INTERSECTIONS #13 Art historian Ada Labriola revealed that 2015 in the 18th century the taste for printed RANDom INTERSECTIONS #14 books and ruins as well as the revival of 2015 historiography inspired the collection Dimensions variable of British art historian William Young Leather Ottley, who set the trend that made Courtesy Leonor Antunes cut-outs so fashionable in the Anglo- and Air de Paris Saxon culture. These custom-made cut-outs were recomposed according Leonor Antunes began this series of works to the tastes of collectors. in 2007, when she was working The majority of the pieces of the Giorgio on an exhibition titled dwelling place Cini Foundation collection were acquired for the project space at Barriera from the Swiss collector and merchant Association in Turin. While planning that Ulrico Hoepli (1847-1935), who based exhibition, Antunes researched the work his publishing house and Libreria of architect Carlo Mollino, who renovated ILLUMINATOR FRom Antiquaria in Milan from 1870 onwards. the entire interior of Turin’s famous THE STUDIO OF THE In 1939 and 1940, Count Vittorio Cini Teatro Regio. According to the artist, she CHOIRMASTER OF SAN acquired large groups of miniatures from discovered that Mollino had been invited LoRENZO, PERUGIA this institution and later donated them to to undertake this project not only because Cut-outs from the register of the Foundation. of his skill (which was not recognized a corporation of Perugia with sufficiently at the time) but because Gate of Saint Michael the Archangel, another project, his Torino Horse Riding Gate of Saint Susanna, Club, had been recently demolished. and Gate of the Sun Looking through documentation of Second quarter of the 14th century the riding club, Antunes found collages 89 × 72 mm produced by Mollino depicting horses 87 × 51 mm in full bridles galloping into the school. 86 × 69 mm Antunes was inspired specifically by the horses’ bridles, and she set to replicate Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Istituto various found versions—without any di Storia dell’Arte, Venice metal and not necessarily in one to one scale. Since 2007, she has collected bridles These sheets and initials, cut out from from several different countries and choir books and legal manuscripts, produced replicas, each unique yet part date from a period spanning from of the same series. Recently, she was in Danh_Vo_04_ING_esec.indd 2 02/04/15 11:48 LEONOR NAIRY ANTUNES BAGHRAmiAN Mexico City, where she had previously manipulation. The plates on which the produced random intersections #6 for shapes are screwed to the metal support a show in 2011, and came across a were custom made; they function like new, especially conspicuous one, which screws and bolts. she reproduced for this exhibition and The artist monitored the whole titled #14; it is the only braided version fabrication process closely in order to presented here. random intersections #4 make sure that the organic quality of the was modeled after a bridle found in mouth would appear as a tool that “bends Portugal. The remaining two on view are space,” and that the chromed elements replicated after two other western-style would appear as a “prosthetic aid” for the bridles, which the artist speculates are of whole construction. The intention is not French, Spanish, or Portuguese origin. to make anything more beautiful—unlike Without any horses to maintain their dental braces—but rather to reveal the form, the bridles remain faint outlines “ugliness” that precedes the completed of absent bodies. They are hung together correction together with the potential and vertically, such that their respective weight imagination it conjures. and materials determines their form RETAINER and increases their degree of abstraction. 2013 Cast aluminum, silicon, RANDom INTERSECTIONS #4 polycarbonate, chromed metal, print, 2009-2012 painted metal, rubber RANDom INTERSECTIONS #12 Dimensions variable 2015 Private collection RANDom INTERSECTIONS #13 2015 Retainer was produced for a large RANDom INTERSECTIONS #14 exhibition space at the Sculpture Center 2015 in Long Island City, New York. Dimensions variable The installation is composed of Leather 16 elements of colored silicon that are FRENCH CURVE Courtesy Leonor Antunes pressed against a polycarbonate backing. 2014 and Air de Paris Each panel is mounted on a thin, Cast aluminum, epoxy resin, chromed aluminum tripod by means polystyrene, concrete, paint Leonor Antunes began this series of works of chromed plates. The tripods hold the Approx. 1700 × 550 × 56 cm in 2007, when she was working slightly pink and translucent shapes like Courtesy Galerie Bucholz, Berlin/ on an exhibition titled dwelling place an easel holds a painting. In some cases, Cologne, and kurimanzutto, for the project space at Barriera a metal rod links two or more panels. Mexico City Association in Turin. While planning that All the panels are installed side by side, exhibition, Antunes researched the work forming a curve on its convex side. A French Curve is a template made of architect Carlo Mollino, who renovated While the panels were being made, out of metal, wood, or plastic used by the entire interior of Turin’s famous the artist built a small-scale prototype in draughtsmen to draw neat curves. Teatro Regio. According to the artist, she order to conceive the installation in the The elegant line achieved with this tool discovered that Mollino had been invited exhibition space. The piece is not so much acquires thickness in this tridimensional, to undertake this project not only because meant to represent a mouth wearing horizontal, and curved piece. Its of his skill (which was not recognized dental apparatuses as much as to imagine horizontality reminds us of the original sufficiently at the time) but because the interior of a mouth as “a space,” exhibition space, the vast terrace of the another project, his Torino Horse Riding or rather spaces that vary according Chicago Art Institute with its spectacular Club, had been recently demolished. to whether the jaws are open or closed view of the city skyline, and how the Looking through documentation of and the mouth speaks or not. curve has traditionally inspired vertical the riding club, Antunes found collages After seeing the Sculpture Center, Nairy sculptures. Baghramian’s curve introduces produced by Mollino depicting horses Baghramian went back to Berlin, where a spine-like quality, and an element in full bridles galloping into the school. she lives and works, to produce these associated historically with the female Antunes was inspired specifically by shapes and their metal support. body. With this connotation, the artist the horses’ bridles, and she set to replicate The color scheme of the silicon elements introduces a foreign element to the various found versions—without any spans from light pink to murky beige. canonical narrative of Minimal Art, just metal and not necessarily in one to one The polycarbonate elements and the like herself, coming from outside of the scale. Since 2007, she has collected bridles chromed aluminum supports were United States.