GianfrancoPARDI
About
From the outset Gianfranco Pardi’s art was based on space and a constructivist organisation, which led to works of great formal rigour, where drawing, painting and sculpture were integrated into a spatial dimension that was architectural in scope. His works represented a new interpretation of historical avant-gardes, such as abstractionism, suprematism, constructivism and neoplasticism.
The artist developed his works through signs and geometric forms, together with a limited range of colours, in a ceaseless search for the mythical gesture of construction.
Gianfranco Pardi was born in 1933 in Milan. In 1959 he held his first solo exhibition at Galleria Alberti in Brescia, and the following year at Galleria Colonna in Milan. In 1965 he participated in the group exhibition La figuration narrative dans l'art contemporain in Paris. In 1967 he began his collaboration with Studio Marconi in Milan. His Architectures from the Seventies demonstrate his desire to build and establish a space through painting, since he saw this as a means of expression that could immediately realise the “idea”.
First in 1974, and later in 1993, he took part in the Biennial at Palazzo della Permanente in Milan.
In 1981 his work was presented at two major group exhibitions: Linee della ricerca artistica in Italia 1960/1980 at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome, and Il luogo della forma at the Museo di Castelvecchio in Verona.
In 1984, the University of Parma organised a major retrospective of his work, and two years later he held solo exhibitions at the Venice Biennial, the Milan Triennial and the Rome Quadrennial.
Between the end of the Eighties and the early Nineties he produced three series of works: Cinema, Monk and Masks, concentrating on the use of iron supports.
Subsequently, influenced by the works of Cézanne, he addressed the theme of Montagne Sainte-Victoire; then came the cycles Nagjma, inspired by the light and night-time in Tangier, and Box, a series of works made from cardboard boxes. In 1998 he held a solo exhibition at Palazzo Reale in Milan.
The following year a number of important exhibitions were organised in Germany: at the Frankfurter Kunstverein in Frankfurt, the Bochum Museum in Bochum, and the Kulturhistorisches Museum in Stralsund. In 2000, his solo show Homeless was held at Galleria Giò Marconi in Milan.
In 2002 the retrospective Sheets was hosted by Galleria Fumagalli in Bergamo, and in 2003 he exhibited once again at Galleria Giò Marconi with a series of works entitled Dance and Restoration.
Over the course of his career he made numerous sculptures for public and private spaces: Albergo Bellevue, Malcesine (Verona) 1988; the General Command of the Guardia di Finanza, Via XX Settembre, Rome,1995; the ship Costa Victoria, Genoa, 1996; Soundtrack, SNAM San Donato Milanese (Milan), 1999; Box, Cascina Mangiagruppa Zeme Lomellina (Pavia), 2001; Dance, Piazza Amendola, Milan, 2006; Releases, Negombo, Bay of San Montano (Ischia), 2015.
Pardi was a member of the National Academy of San Luca from 2008.
He died in Milan on 2 February, 2012.
In October 2013, the Gianfranco Pardi Archive was established in memory of the artist with the aim of promoting and disseminating his work and reputation.
Some of the most recent venues to hold solo exhibitions of his work include: Fondazione Marconi, Milan (2014 and 2018), Galerie Balice Hertling, Paris (2015), the premises of the Cortesi Gallery in Lugano (2016) and those in London (2017).
The artist developed his works through signs and geometric forms, together with a limited range of colours, in a ceaseless search for the mythical gesture of construction.
Gianfranco Pardi was born in 1933 in Milan. In 1959 he held his first solo exhibition at Galleria Alberti in Brescia, and the following year at Galleria Colonna in Milan. In 1965 he participated in the group exhibition La figuration narrative dans l'art contemporain in Paris. In 1967 he began his collaboration with Studio Marconi in Milan. His Architectures from the Seventies demonstrate his desire to build and establish a space through painting, since he saw this as a means of expression that could immediately realise the “idea”.
First in 1974, and later in 1993, he took part in the Biennial at Palazzo della Permanente in Milan.
In 1981 his work was presented at two major group exhibitions: Linee della ricerca artistica in Italia 1960/1980 at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome, and Il luogo della forma at the Museo di Castelvecchio in Verona.
In 1984, the University of Parma organised a major retrospective of his work, and two years later he held solo exhibitions at the Venice Biennial, the Milan Triennial and the Rome Quadrennial.
Between the end of the Eighties and the early Nineties he produced three series of works: Cinema, Monk and Masks, concentrating on the use of iron supports.
Subsequently, influenced by the works of Cézanne, he addressed the theme of Montagne Sainte-Victoire; then came the cycles Nagjma, inspired by the light and night-time in Tangier, and Box, a series of works made from cardboard boxes. In 1998 he held a solo exhibition at Palazzo Reale in Milan.
The following year a number of important exhibitions were organised in Germany: at the Frankfurter Kunstverein in Frankfurt, the Bochum Museum in Bochum, and the Kulturhistorisches Museum in Stralsund. In 2000, his solo show Homeless was held at Galleria Giò Marconi in Milan.
In 2002 the retrospective Sheets was hosted by Galleria Fumagalli in Bergamo, and in 2003 he exhibited once again at Galleria Giò Marconi with a series of works entitled Dance and Restoration.
Over the course of his career he made numerous sculptures for public and private spaces: Albergo Bellevue, Malcesine (Verona) 1988; the General Command of the Guardia di Finanza, Via XX Settembre, Rome,1995; the ship Costa Victoria, Genoa, 1996; Soundtrack, SNAM San Donato Milanese (Milan), 1999; Box, Cascina Mangiagruppa Zeme Lomellina (Pavia), 2001; Dance, Piazza Amendola, Milan, 2006; Releases, Negombo, Bay of San Montano (Ischia), 2015.
Pardi was a member of the National Academy of San Luca from 2008.
He died in Milan on 2 February, 2012.
In October 2013, the Gianfranco Pardi Archive was established in memory of the artist with the aim of promoting and disseminating his work and reputation.
Some of the most recent venues to hold solo exhibitions of his work include: Fondazione Marconi, Milan (2014 and 2018), Galerie Balice Hertling, Paris (2015), the premises of the Cortesi Gallery in Lugano (2016) and those in London (2017).
