La Quinta Essenza

La quinta essenza nella fisica greca è un quinto elemento che si aggiunge, con caratteristiche peculiari, ai quattro elementi (terra, acqua, aria, fuoco) .Cristina Eidel e Alessandro Arrigo hanno voluto identificarlo con il concetto della luce.

La luce come forma di “illuminazione” ma anche di principio di vita e di moto e quindi anche di volo. II “volo” è una costante nei lavori di Arrigo e di Eidel, che da anni insieme e in maniera singola hanno realizzato opere e lavori che prendevano spunto dal porsi su un piano diverso nell’osservare le cose intorno a loro. Le lampade realizzate da Cristina Eidel sono dei piccoli racconti poetici. Lo studio dei colori conferisce alla luce un’atmosfera che ricorda le lanterne giapponesi. Nelle illustrazioni di Alessandro Arrigo una costante è la scoperta di un modo onirico legato al muoversi nell’aria. La sua ultima ricerca artistiche legate al “toccare” le sue illustrazioni per illuminarle, serve a eliminare il distacco fra il pubblico e l’opera.

Eidel e Arrigo dal 2014 lavorano in progetti comuni che hanno visto dar luce per Atelier del Granaio a camere d’autore e allestimenti con opere originali per alberghi d’arte creando delle vere e proprie installazioni artistiche sul concetto di creare bellezza ed armonia nei luoghi di passaggio. Le opere in mostra a Roma a settembre nella Galleria “Il Laboratorio” in via del Moro 49 a Trastevere per “La Quinta Essenza” a cura di Oriana Picciolini si ispirano all’ estetica anglosassone delle Arts and Crafts ma anche allo stile giapponese ukiyo-e, rielaborandoli e sintetizzandoli in una chiave moderna.

La luce come forma di dialogo fra le lampade di Cristina Eidel, piccoli racconti poetici dove lo studio dei colori conferisce un’atmosfera che ricorda le lanterne giapponesi e le illustrazioni di Alessandro Arrigo che, in alcuni casi, dovranno essere letteralmente “toccate” per essere viste, una ricerca artistica legate allo “svelare” le opere tramite un interazione per eliminare il distacco fra il fruitore e l’opera.

– English version-
The quintessence, according to the Greece philosophy is a fifth essence, that is added with his particular properties to the foursome earth, water, fire and air. Alessandro Arrigo and Cristina Eidel have identified it with the light. Light, has not only the meaning of lighting, but is although the principle of life and this quality turns it into motion. Flying is a motif that recurs continually in the artistic research of both artists. In the last years their common as well as their individual works, are characterized by this leitmotiv. It is closely linked to the world of dreams. Dreams with their different feeling of time, space and motion helps us to approach the world surrounding us from a different point of view. The lamps of Cristina Eidel are short poetic tales. The subtile shades transform them in Japanese lanterns. The illustrations of Alessandro Arrigo open a particular view on the world of dreams through the lightness of flight. His last artistic research tries to bridge the gap between observer and artistic work. The viewer can illuminate his pictures touching them. His “luminous illustrations” create an intimate and very personal relationship between the artist, his work and the spectator. Following Alessandro’s idea, contemplating works of art looks more like a meeting in which the parts are approaching to get to know each other. From 2014 Eidel and Arrigo share ideas and artistic works, that has given rise to projects like “Art Hotel” by Atelier del Granaio. The furniture realized for a series of art rooms, is inspired by a common artistic concept of beauty and harmony and the effort to bring it in places of everyday life. The intensive collaboration and the union among the artist is reflected particularly in the works displayed in the exhibition by Oriana Picciolini that’s going to be launched in Rome in September. Once more they trie to enhance communication between light and colours, pictures and lamps, to evoke an ideal place and a dream-like atmosphere. The works are related to the artistic movement of Arts and Crafts, born in Britain half of the nineteenth century. His adherents were united by a common set of aesthetics, sought to reassert the importance of design and craftsmanship in all the arts in the face of increasing industrialization, which sacrifices quality in the pursuit of quantity. Alessandro’s and Cristina’s works draw although inspiration from the ukiyo or “floating world” school of Japanese art and Hokusai’s prints. The exhibition “Quintessence” creates a new art object, amalgamating the two artists and their works. The space is composed of Cristina’s lamps, that comes down from the ceiling and fills the ground with their light and Alessandro’s revealed and hidden pictures, which has to be touched by the spectator, creating the balance in the centre.

La Quinta Essenza
Alessandro Arrigo – Cristina Eidel
An Exhibition: Curated by Oriana Picciolini

10-17 September 2018
Il Laboratorio Art Gallery – via del Moro, 49 – Rome (Trastevere)
opening 11th september h: 19:00