Gillo's Revealing Sign. Trieste celebrates the great intellectual and painter with an exhibition

Opening on November 15, 2019 in Trieste, at the Stelio Crise State Library, is the exhibition Il segno rivelatore di Gillo (Gillo’s Revealing Sign), the first exhibition in the Friulian capital after Gillo Dorfles’ passing, which can be visited until December 14, 2019.

Curated by Marianna Accerboni and promoted by the Gillo Dorfles Cultural Association of Milan, founded recently in the intellectual’s home studio, the exhibition is proposed as an artistic-documentary that intends to offer an unprecedented image of the great aesthetologist and painter, emphasizing his more ironic, playful and private side. Characteristics that were often glimpsed through his creativity and drawing in black and white or enlivened by bright colors.

On display on this occasion will be 130 works by Dorfles, including drawings and etchings, some previously unpublished. About 20 of these were designed by Gillo for his grandchildren Giorgetta and Piero, such as the series of fantastic animals animated by his chromatic sign, and Vitriol, an esoteric character he invented and in whom he mirrored himself.

Dorfles’ design, a probably lesser-known aspect that had resulted in the creation of jewelry, textiles, carpets, tapestries, advertising posters, wine labels, mosaics, coffee services and more, will also be explored in the exhibition. Thus, there will be drawings for fabrics from the 1930s and 1950s, a service of cappuccino cups and other objects designed for the Illy Art Collection, a large advertising poster for Alba truffles and one for the Barcolana, various wine labels, a valuable piece of jewelry never before exhibited, and a sketch never before exhibited for some mosaics made under his guidance by the Friuli School of Mosaicists in Spilimbergo, which can also be seen in the exhibition.

In addition to his creations, numerous photographs, most of them previously unpublished, will be on view, testifying to Dorfles’ cultured international frequentations and lectures given around the world. Also, books written by the great intellectual in the original first editions, newspaper articles from the 1930s with his early criticism and texts with handwritten notes, observations and corrections, various materials, invitations, catalogs.

His relations with Trieste and with artists of Julian and Friuli origin, including Arturo Nathan, Miela Reina, Leonor Fini, Getullio Alviani, Bruno Chersicla, will be highlighted.
Special attention will also be given to his relationship, dating back to his youthful years in Trieste, with the great Trieste art dealer Leo Castelli, with Saba, Svevo, and Bobi Bazlen, with the Club La Cantina in the 1960s, and with Studio Tommaseo from the 1970s to 2017, in the context of which Gillo was among the creators of Trieste Contemporanea and president of the Design Competition he conceived.

Hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Closed Sundays.

Gillo's Revealing Sign. Trieste celebrates the great intellectual and painter with an exhibition

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