Le Dame Art Gallery, London
21 April–3 May 2016
Preview Wednesday 20 April 2016, 6.30–8.45pm
Le Dame Art Gallery is proud to present the first UK solo exhibition of the Italian artist Maria Ràcana Terracciano. The exhibition presents the artist’s research on time and space exploring the dichotomy between the calm and turmoil of human nature within its physical and metaphysical interpretations. Drawing geographical parallels with the landscapes of the artist’s life, the exhibition will guide the viewer into a journey of exploration of the concepts of independence, equality, and freedom, which constitute the artist’s main points of research on the meaning of human existence. Inspired by the words of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges “time is the substance I am made of”, the artist’s pictorial research focuses on the search for human essence in a dimension where earthly and metaphysical concepts are merged together.
The time-transcendent geometrical lines that structure her works reference the Renaissance artist Piero Della Francesca as well as the contemporary Mark Rothko, and the Iconographic language of her paintings is often dominated by the female figure. Elegant, austere, anonymous yet proud women populate Maria’s works, upholding the artist’s commitment towards women’s emancipation and equality of rights, an ideological war she had started fighting for during the years of the feminist movement in the 1970s.
About the Artist
Maria Ràcana Terracciano was born in Naples, Italy, in 1930, where she still lives and works. She was educated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. The artist has exhibited in major institutions worldwide, such as the Italian Institute of Culture in Madrid (Colores Del Infinito, 2012), The Italian Institute of Culture in Prague at St. Carlo Borromeo Church (Spazio in Arte, 2011), Castel Dell’Ovo in Naples (Donnemaria, 2010), and the Biennale di Venezia(1981).
She represented Italy in prestigious international exhibitions such as Istanbul Art Fair(2011) and the International Exhibition at the United Nations in Geneva (2009), where she won a recognition prize for her artistic research on social humanitarian issues such as women’s equality.
Her paintings Verso lo Spazio (1997), Donna tra le Stelle Nello Spazio (2010) are permanently exhibited in Naples at the Plart Foundation, and at ARCA Museum in Santa Maria La Nova Church respectively. Because of her social engagement towards women’s equality, in 2015 she was chosen to paint a portrait of the new Minister of Justice Paola Severino in a work that is now on permanent display in the Palace of Justice in Romeamong other paintings of the past Ministers of Justice who have served Italy
Exhibition:
Quiet Explosions – Maria Ràcana Terracciano
Curator:
Marta Tarallo
Dates:
21 April–3 May 2016
PrivateView:
Wednesday 20 April 2016, 6.30 – 9pm
OpeningHours:
Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm
Saturday 12am to 6pm, Sunday by appointment only
Location:
Le Dame Art Gallery at Meliá White House
1 Albany St, Regent’s Park, London NW13UP
Tel: +44 (0) 7947653530
Website:
www.ledameartgallery.com/
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