Disaster 2008 magazine clipping, oil, pencil, pigment, acrylic medium on cotton canvas 49x59cm
Luigi De Simone is acutely aware of history's uncontrollable progression. His work explores the complex model of individual resistance as well as the interralationships with the body social. He suggests a series of micro-utopias borne out of the collective fears and complex social problems left largely unanswered and desperately in need of a solution. De Simone's exhibition highlights on the one hand what J.Howard Kunstler termed "the geography of nowhere" and on the other how art is the only visibile instrumente of social coexistence in a world thereatened by the clash of civilisations set, according to Samuel P. Huntingto, to hail a new world order.
Art, then,to better explore the area of existence in which society moves,not to simply document what exists, but rather to look beyond, as Paul Valéry suggested in Bad thoughts and others: " A painter should not paint what he sees but what should be seen".
the micro-utopias are the fruit of the strategy of the artist, communicating history's uncontrollable nature through the creative process, opting for a tactic of socialisation of his work.
This socialisation arises out of the issues which concern pubblic opinion in general, such as the protection of the environment and the art world in particular regarding the everyday use of art,j oining the precursors of this stance which include Beuys, Pistoletto, Acconci, and the Rome architects of the Stalker collective.
With De simone there appears to be an attempt at humanising technique, fruit of the vaporisation of art and its shift towards dematerialised aesthetics.
Luigi De Simone
1970 born in Neaples, Italy
Lives and works in Berlin, Germany
Solo Exhibitions
2008 Minima Moralia Feurig59 Berlin (Germany)
2007 La naturale attrazione delle cose. Supportico lopez Napoli (Italy)
2004 Potato Battery Studio 59 Berlin Germany
Ground zero S.Martino valle caudina (Italy)catalogue by Marco Izzolino edition Elios Benevento .
2003 Naples (Italy) gallery Mimmo Scognamiglio
2002 Senza titoli Salerno (Italy) gallery Studio 34
Group Exhibitions
2005 Napoli Presente PAN Naples (Italy) exhibition curated by Lorànd Hègyì, catologue Electa Naples 2005.
Fiac Paris (France)
Arco Madrid (Spain)
Arte fiera Bologna (Italy)
2004Eurepean triennial of small-scale sculpture, Murska Sobota (Slovenia) text in the catalogue by Lorànd Hègyì.
Settlements Musée d'art moderne Metropole S.Etienne (France) exhibition and catalogue curated by Lòrand Hègyì text in the catalogue by Marco Izzolino.
Catalogue Edition Fage S.Etienne 2004
Cabinet des dessins Musée Metropole S. Etinne (France) Exhbition curated by Lòrand Hègyì.
2003 Quadriennale Anteprima Naples (Italy) Royal Palace , catalogue De luca edition Rome 2003
text "Arte e Metropoli" by Vincenzo Trione
The Ideal City (Solares or on Optimism) Valencia (Spain) Biennal of Valencia II edition, text in the catalogue by Luigi De simone, catalogue Edition Charta Mailand 2003
Piccoli Io Palerme (Italy) Arèa Contenitore d'arte contemporanea.
2002 Umane Presenze Naples (Italy) Mimmo Scognamiglio Art Gallery, exhibition and catalogue curated byt Marco Izzolino text by Marco Izzolino Catalogue edition Elios Napoli 2002
New Genius Naples (Italy) Casina Pompeana Exhibition and catalogue curated by Margherita Remotti Text in ther catalogue by Margherita Remotti catalogue Edition MeltingPot Naples 2002
Graund Zero Invito alla corte del duca S. Martino Valle Caudina Avellino (Italy) Duke Palace catalogue edition Elios curated by Marco Izzolino
2001 No Title Salerno (Italy) Studio 34 Gallery
