PRADA FOUNDATION PRESENTS 'THE GIACOMETTI VARIATIONS'

THE PRADA FOUNDATION PRESENTS 'THE GIACOMETTI VARIATIONS', AN ORIGINAL PROJECT BY JOHN BALDESSARI, FEATURED AT ITS SPACE IN VIA FOGAZZARO 36, MILAN, FROM 29.OCTOBER TO 31.DECEMBER. 'THE GIACOMETTI VARIATIONS' IS AN INSTALLATION CONCEIVED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE EXHIBITION SPACES OF THE PRADA FOUNDATION AND CONSISTS OF NINE SCULPTURES MADE OF RESIN AND STEEL AND SPRAYED WITH BRONZE, EACH 4.5 METERS TALL. INSPIRED BY THE IMAGERY OF THE SWISS SCULPTOR, THE HUGE, OVER SIZED FEMALE FIGURES TAKE THE SLENDER, EMACIATED CHARACTER OF THEIR BODIES TO AN EXTREME: A VISION OF A MONUMENTAL MANNEQUIN. ARRANGED IN A ROW BETWEEN THE SPACE'S COLUMNS AND UNDER ARCHES, THE FIGURES AS A WHOLE, IN THEIR STASIS AND LINEARITY, RECALL A SNAPSHOT OF A FASHION SHOW. TAKING THEIR CUES FROM LA PETITE DANSEUSE DE QUATORZE ANS BY EDGAR DEGAS, THE ORIGINAL BRONZE OF WHICH FEATURED A CLOTH BODICE AND A TUTU OF WHITE TULLE, EVERY FIGURE OF 'THE GIACOMETTI VARIATIONS' IS DRESSED IN GARMENTS AND OBJECTS DESIGNED BY BALDESSARI HIMSELF.