APRIL 03 - APRIL 26, 2003
Recent Work from Italy
Odalisque I
PIC-264-OC
Hackett-Freedman Gallery presents the sweeping Italian landscapes and mysterious allegorical figure paintings of Richard Piccolo, April 3 - 26, 2003. A full-color catalogue with easy accompanies the exhibition.
A classicist when it comes to subject matter, Piccolo imbues his paintings with a modern sensibility that derives from his talent as a master colorist and his skill as a draughtsman.
Piccolo's ability to make the old new again, to create an aura of timelessness, is particularly evident in his figure paintings, specifically his series of Odalisques (Webster’s Tenth—odalisque: 1: a female slave 2: a concubine in a harem).
Piccolo's approach to this long-standing pictorial subject is to present a female image that is drawn from traditional art historical precepts but is nonetheless a distinct rendering of his own inspiration. Piccolo is not interested in simply giving a realistic depiction of the glory of the female body á la Ingres.
In fact, the artist states that while he aims to be “as direct and straightforward as possible … those categories do not interest [him] in the least.” It is the power of these women that intrigues him.
In paintings such as Large Odalisque and Odalisque I, each woman gazes at the viewer with an intensity and command that is distinct and psychological in nature.
Piccolo’s most recent work also includes sweeping vistas of the hills and valleys of the Italian countryside around his home in Umbria, as well as several allegorical still lifes.
Both genres demonstrate Piccolo’s technical virtuosity when it comes to color.
The power of his palette is evident in Large Montecorona Landscape, where the cool blue-greens and vibrant pinks and oranges create a heightened reality.
In Tuscan Landscape, Piccolo presses the golden fields and eggplant-colored hills up against the teal-blue sky, pushing the clouds towards the viewer. This composition creates a sense of urgency—the same feeling one gets when viewing storm clouds on a horizon.
In his still lifes, Piccolo creates a similar sense of unease, using classical references—in the tradition of a Vanitas still life—to remind the viewer of the temporality of life.
Indeed, in Votive Still Life, a split-open pomegranate (an ancient symbol of fecundity and fertility) lies forgotten on a table, its ripe, red seeds spilling out. It’s as if Hades had abducted Persephone only moments before, forcing her to drop the fruit before commencing her descent into the Underworld.