Fabrizio Corneli

Cosmo Domestico

Cosmo Domestico - Shadow Objects

November 17th, 1996 to January 12th, 1997

Fabrizio Corneli, born 1958 in Florence, studied between 1978 and 1985 at the Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Florence.  In the following years he turned to the study of optics, mathematics, and physics, and then implemented the lessons he learned in his art.  His first light and shadow work, an anamorphosis, was created in 1978 in Rome.  Anamorphosis was developed during the Renaissance and Mannerism periods from applied geometry in order to produce Zerr or curved images to "correct" a particular viewer's perspective.  This "correction" is a sort of caricature of a familiar image that Corneli makes not only with the physical location of the viewer, but above all by the light that shines from a specifically determined source (halogen lamp).  "Light" and shadow are thus also key themes of his work.  Anamorphosis is a subject of the 1990s.  He realized his light / shadow work in both objects and sculptures.

In 1992, he returned to his light / shadow work.  He reduced the materials to reinforced fiberglass paper in amorphous forms, which he mounted on the wall in a horizontal direction.  Each mounted piece is lit from below with a light source. Dilated (equalized) and to the whole, these parts are light.  Consisting of 5 to 12 parts, the works only appear as a light source as a whole to the viewer.

Cornelis sees interesting relationships between the Italian Renaissance and Italian Mannerism, and the related question of how modern Italian artists deal with the mighty (for us) heritage of their country.  This refers again to the technical, and other times to the substantive dimension of his work.  Corneli combines scientific phenomena with the physiological and psychological possibilities of a viewer's perception.  He is guided by philosophical thought, also on the relationship of "Cosmos" and "House" - as the title of the exhibition expresses.  The result is a permanent inner floating within us, whose material analogy is the anamorphosis, as well as an experience of light as a condition for the perception of external phenomena.

In the accompanying program:  A reading from "L'autre lumière" by Manfred Beer, Lage.  Also readings by the author and Elmar Bartel (radio / television).

An exhibition catalog has been published.  The exhibition is sponsored by the city of Neuenhaus and the state of Lower Saxony.