L'ora italiana
L'ora italiana (1)

L'ora italiana (2)

1-2. The exhibition being fitted out

L'ora italiana (3)

3. The lighting in the hall comes from a disc-shaped source, specially designed and built, formed of 10 PAR 56 300W type lamps fitted with a dimmer control system




Back to the top


Isgro´ decided to work exclusively with "round" forms on this exhibition, playing radically on circular space that multiplies through the idea of a twin set of objects ... The artist opted for a total, violent and blinding effect. "Light usually illuminates, but here it blocks the view and cancels out images. I did not design these works in relation to sunlight, as the old masters used to - I worked on the kind of light that now invades the universe, artificial light ... whatever the intensity of the light, the work will function a nyway ... those black-outs that occasionally happen will trigger off an emotional - communicative level. They betray a certain expectation: that a picture should always be viewed in complete daylight. The clock´s circular form is reiterated obsessively, marking its sense of repetition... tick... tock... the rhythm slows as the light increases, eventually reaching its acme like a sort of overexposed artificial solstice. Three flashes then shoot through the space and the light suddenly blacks-out: the darkness is disconcerting, making viewing less certain, but not preventing the works from making their presence felt. This is where the wait begins, the gift of reawakening, the general public gathers its thoughts. Then light comes back and regains all its energy. Followed by another extremely quick black-out, as fast as the public´s reaction ... (Claudio Ceritelli, "la sperimentazione serena di Isgro´, in Emilio Isgro´ − L´ora italiana , Grafis edizioni , 1986 (pgg 33-40)
Bologna, Italy
Piero Castiglioni