| Title |
Abstract from Reality |
| Artist |
Franco
Fontana |
| Exhibition |
September 2 - November 12, 2005 |
 |
A master of photography of international
fame, Franco Fontana has been away from the Swiss art
scene for about 20 years.
The ArteF Gallery is proud to celebrate
Fontana’s rentrée with a selection of well-known
works as well as new photographs exhibited for the first
time by a great master of colour. In 1990, a Japanese
arts council has rightly recognized Fontana as one of
the “Photographers who have created a new era". |
| 
|
The exhibition has been conceived in
order to explore the career of an artist who has revolutionized
the idea of both natural and urban landscapes and repeatedly
surprises us with new and inventive artistic creations.
"Asfalti", is a work in progress,
never exhibited before. The series "Asfalti"
explores the small markings found on the surfaces of streets
on we all walk without ever noticing them.
Fontana captures overwhelmingly fascinating
forms and colours, a characteristic to be found in all
of his works.
Several of his highly acclaimed photographs, which are
part of the visual legacy of our time, reveal the secrets
of material world in their most simple form with exemplary
abstractionism. And yet it is reality.
It is a stunning revelation of the world’s
beauty and its mysterious harmony that the great artist
Franco Fontana captures for us.
|
Biography
| 1933 |
Born in Modena (Italy)
Owner of a prestigious interior decoration showroom, he started photography in 1961. He took part in competitions and group exhibitions organized by amateur photo clubs |
| 1963 |
Invited to exhibit his work at the 3rd Biennial Exhibition of Colour in Vienna |
| 1967 |
Travelled to Prague, returning with unique photographs including the famous ‘automobile rossa’, an icon of contemporary photography, which was rejected at a competition organized by an important multinational operating in photography field |
| 1968 |
First solo exhibition held at the Galleria della Sala di Cultura, Modena. |
| 1970 |
Published his first book, “Modena una città”.
Solo exhibition at Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara |
| 1972 |
Exhibition at Die Brücke gallery in Vienna, which marked the beginning of his
international reputation |
| 1979 |
Started to work on the ‘Presenza/Assenza’ series.
Travelled in the United States, discovering urban landscapes as a new subject |
| 1984 |
"Piscine" series. |
| 1993 |
Traveled ‘photographically’ along Route 66 |
| 2003 |
Started to work on the ‘Asfalti’ series |
| 2004 |
Exhibition Palazzo Reale, Milano |
He has published more than 40 books, including various Italian, Japanese, French, German, Swiss, American, and Spanish editions. His work has been exhibited all over the world in private galleries and museums and can be found in over 50 museum collections.
Collections
George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, Rochester (Usa)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York (Usa)
Ludwig Museum, Cologne (Germany)
Museum of Art, Norman, Oklahoma (Usa)
National Gallery, Beijing, (China)
The Australian National Gallery, Melbourne (Australia)
University of Texas, Austin (Usa)
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (Holland)
Metropolitan Museum, Tokyo (Japan)
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem (Israel)
Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris (France)
Museo de Arte de São Paolo, Sao Paolo (Brazil)
Schweizerische Stiftung für die Fotografie, Winterthur (Switzerland)
Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki (Finland)
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco (Usa)
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow (Russia)
Victoria & Albert Museum, London (England)
Awards
| 1974 |
Photokina, Köln, Kodak Photobuchpreis |
| 1983 |
Stuttgart Prix 1983 - Farbfoto Kalender |
| 1984 |
Modena XXVIII Ragno d’Oro - Unesco Premio per l’Arte |
| 1989 |
Roma Premio della Cultura - Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri. |
| 1990 |
Tokyo Photographic Society of Japan - The 150 Years of Photography Photographer Award
|
| 1991 |
Gorizia Premio Friuli Venezia Giulia |
| 1992 |
Venezia Premio fotografico Città di Venezia |
| 1993 |
Sorrento Premio Città di Sorrento per la fotografia |
| 1993 |
Cordoba Award Guitarra 1993 |
| 1994 |
Pisa Premio Pisa per la Fotografia per il 650° anniversario della fondazione dell’Ateneo pisano |
| 1995 |
Torino Premio FIAF - Consiglio direttivo della FIAF nomina di Maestro Fotografo Italiano per la sua attività a favore della fotografia e della FIAF |
| 1998 |
Benevento Premio “Una vita per la fotografia” |
In 2000, he was awarded the honour of ‘Commendatore’ of the Italian Republic for artistic reward.
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