The artistic vision of Gina Lollobrigida the artist is
akin to that of such masters of contemporary sculpture as Manzù,
Greco and Messina.
Within the context of contemporary Italian art, these figures belong
in the mainstream of tradition, and Gina Lollobrigida has shown
unquestionable courage in systematically producing traditional works
of a naturalistic type at the time when extreme forms of avant-garde
art are all the rage.
The plastic structure of her works is characterized by simplicity,
grounded on a constant striving to shatter the static nature of the
material and endow the forms in space with movement through
composition.
This is particularly evident in the works where the artist addresses the theme of dance, in the densely expressive contrast
between the powerful and elegant outlines of the figures and the
gossamer material of their garments fluttering in the breeze.
At the
same time, however, her static compositions (portraits and reclining
figures) always display a sort of subterranean interior dynamic of
what we might call an emotive nature.
By Irina Antonova, Director of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow
Work at Pietrasanta
Since 1990 she has resumed full-time her activity as sculptress
which she had neglected during her moviemaking years. She has
produced over sixty works, some of which in marble.
In the studios and foundries of Pietrasanta, Gina has followed all
the phases of the process: from the initial idea to the preparation,
from the clay modelling and wax finishing touches to the final
bronze casting.
She has personally worked on the finishing of the
most delicate parts, handling milling cutters and emery papers like
a skilled worker, up to the gilding in 24-carat gold of many of her
sculptures based on some of the characters she has portrayed in her
films. For years she had kept all her works jealously concealed.
The World for Children
Monumental Sculpture five meters forty tall (1993)
Gina working on the upper part of the more than five-meter tall clay sculpture.
The white model is the original in plaster.
Given its height of 230 cm, it was possible to make a five-meter
copy directly without producing an intermediary sculpture
for use as a model.
The bronze sculpture is assembled after giving
the finishing touches to the various pieces.
The work requires chasing and patination. The entire
operation took over a year and was supervised directly
by Gina from start to finish.
Esmeralda
Monumental Sculpture almost six
meters tall (2001)
Before producing the
enlargement, as the original is only one
meter tall, it’s necessary to create another
sculpture of Esmeralda, an
intermediate one this time measuring
170 cm, first in clay then in plaster.
The new Esmeralda in plaster on the
left is then used as a model for the 5,40
meters work in clay plus its double base.
The work has undergone chasing,
patination and gilding. The patina
and gilding must be checked every time
the sculpture, weighing about 4,000
kilos, is moved because the ropes used
to lift it, inevitably damage the surface
in some points.
