Gianmaria Potenza, a sculptor from Venice presents his large exhibition that includes works of various years filled with spirit of his hometown: mosaic panels made of wood and glass, graphic works with hand lettering, monumental bronze sculptures and chamber objects of decoration. This project was prepared especially for the Northern Venice
Gianmaria Potenza is known as a sculptor and painter. He works both with small chamber objects and monumental sculptures. Inheriting great Italian traditions Potenza became many-sided artist who works with various materials: he casts paper for his graphic works; glass for his works has been produced by his own studio “La Murrina” since 1968. The grand-beard Venetian is like an alchemist who tames and exquisitely forms spontaneous spirit of his artistic fantasy. His creative world is opened to everyone. The artist invites the viewer to discover the eternal roar of never-ending feast and romantic melancholy of his native city Venice. Monumental nearly abstract sculptures by Gianmaria Potenza brought new figurative language to the old and flourishing culture traditions of Venice and eventually became a part of it. Rhythmical geometrical ornamentation of mosaic panels and bronze sculptures is inspired by adornments of Venice architecture that was influenced by the art of the East. The artist also elaborately plays with even forms of cubes and triangles to avoid rhythmical monotony. Complex sculpturesque surfaces are full of colorful spots; they seem to be created to draw flecks of sunlight reflecting from the lagoon water.
Сurator Enzo Fornaro.
Gianmaria Potenza was born on 9 December 1936 in Venice. In 1956 he was graduated from the State Art University of Venice (Istituto Statale d'Arte di Venezia) under the enlightened guidance of Giorgio Wenter Marini. In 1968 he opened the glass workshop “La Murrina”. In his studio Potenza works in various techniques: sgraffito, ceramics, wooden and bronze sculpture, painting on wood, glass, velvet; glass, meal and concrete etching. Among the achievements of Gianmaria Potenza are: participation in Venice Biennale as the best student of the State Art University of Venice in 1954 and as an established artist in 1986, numerous solo exhibitions in various galleries and in the famous architectural spaces in Italy, a tour solo exhibition in Toronto – Montreal – New-York (Canada – USA, 1994), the exhibition in The Museum of Turkish and Islamic art (Istanbul, Turkey, 1994), the exhibition in The Museum of Contemporary art of Hong-Kong (China, 2000-2001). Gianmaria Potenza has created a number of luxurious interiors for numerous ocean liners, the city sculptures for the streets and squares in Venice and the fountain in Cavallino Treporti.
