Medardo Rosso

Rating:
Summary: Rosso Re-examined
Review: Sharon Hecker and Harry Cooper provide excellent insight into an extremely important, under-appreciated artist and his technique. Hilton Kramer describes Hecker's treatment of Rosso as the most thoughtful account of Rosso ever written. (see Hilton Kramer, "Sculptor Rosso Coated Work in Wax as Performance Art," New York Observer (August 18, 2003))

There is no question that Rosso made his own waxes and bronzes. Hecker's essay deals mainly with Rosso as the founder of his sculptures. It should also be mentioned that this exhibition does not intend to deceive the viewer by including posthumous casts as some have claimed. Hecker devotes more than two pages of her essay to this issue (pp. 60-62). Rosso authorized the posthumous reproduction of some of his works, and Hecker convincingly shows that these pieces are, in fact, part of "the sculptor's legacy and intention." (p. 62) Including them in the exhibition gives the viewer another dimension of Rosso's work and technique to consider.

Finally, Hecker does not deny that Rosso was interested in the dematerialization of the subject. Her particularly thoughtful treatment of Rosso's interests attempts to reconcile his need to dematerialize his sculpture and his profound interest and attention to the physical material of his sculpture.

Rating:
Summary: The Open Case of Medardo Rosso
Review: While this exhibition and publication include some superb examples of casts made by the artist, it is full of casts NOT made by the artist. A very confusing presentation which sets Rosso scholarship back 25 years.

If you want to know Rosso as demonstated by his own hand from the standpoint of connoisseurship, pass this publication by. I can recommend to you the following publications as superior references:

1979 Palazzo Della Permanente, Milan
1984 Frankfurter Kunstverein, Steinernes

1985 Galleria Pieter Coray, Lugano
1988 Kent Fine Art, New York
1994 Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
1996 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

It needs to be stated that Rosso not only made his own waxes (with multiple and changing variations), but he also made his own bronzes in his studio experimenting with process and alchemy. Whatever material, Rosso did not make editions, but rather variations as was the later case with Brancusi. Prior to artists such as Marini, I believe Rosso was the first to never conceal the casting process with chasing and lacquer, but rather leave the firescale and residue as an integral aspect of the "impression" of the piece. Further, most of the works were created to be shown with light from one vantage point as demonstrated by the photography he made during the last 20 years of his life. Rosso was concerned with how to dematerialize the subject. He was concerned with light and environment.

Rating:
Summary: The Open Case of Medardo Rosso
Review: While this exhibition and publication include some superb examples of casts made by the artist, it is full of casts NOT made by the artist. A very confusing presentation which sets Rosso scholarship back 25 years.

If you want to know Rosso as demonstated by his own hand from the standpoint of connoisseurship, pass this publication by. I can recommend to you the following publications as superior references:

1979Palazzo Della Permanente, Milan
1984 Frankfurter Kunstverein, Steinernes

1985 Galleria Pieter Coray, Lugano
1988Kent Fine Art, New York
1994Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
1996Santiago de Compostela, Spain

It needs to be stated that Rosso not only made his own waxes (with multiple and changing variations), but he also made his own bronzes in his studio experimenting with process and alchemy. Whatever material, Rosso did not make editions, but rather variations as was the later case with Brancusi. Prior to artists such as Marini, I believe Rosso was the first to never conceal the casting process with chasing and lacquer, but rather leave the firescale and residue as an integral aspect of the "impression" of the piece. Further, most of the works were created to be shown with light from one vantage point as demonstrated by the photography he made during the last 20 years of his life. Rosso was concerned with how to dematerialize the subject. He was concerned with light and environment.