State of the Arts: Ozzola’s Study of Light and the Invisible at Galleria Continua
Florence-born and Tenerife-based Giovanni Ozzola returns Beijing for the first time since his 2013/4 exhibition La Theorie des Comètes. His latest show at Galleria Continua might not be necessarily new to some of the area’s regulars, as it opened last Dec 14, nonetheless, it is worth a trip for those who haven’t noticed it or managed to do so yet and is on show until Feb 28.
The exhibition is titled Fallen Blossom - Whispering, echoing the romanticism the show encapsulates through multiple mediums in which installation, video, and photography are the most prevalent.
Ozzola, a researcher and acute observer, shows in his work an undeniable interest in light and the way its presence or absence can influence our perception. This concern is perfectly demonstrated in "Vanitas", a series of photographs printed on velvet and shown in their own dark space on the gallery’s second floor. Thanks to this unusual material choice, the photographs are imbued with a texture and light they might not have otherwise had on a regular canvas. It’s a dramatic series, encouraging the viewer to roam the room to discover the new ways the works come to life as the light hits them from different standpoints. The content of the photos – flowers and plants – reminds us of the traditional still life, however, in this case, the result is anything but still.
The sea and what is hidden within, which must be a part of the artist’s daily life on the island of Tenerife, has a clear presence in the works displayed on the first floor: a person whistling an antique local language to the horizon (video installation "Sin Tiempo"), geometric shapes that resemble shipwrecks ("Stealth – Invisible Shipwrecks"), anchor chains along neon signs imitating the shape of water in constant motion ("Ni Olvido, Ni PerdonoI"). The resulting combination is an inviting display that feels organic, almost effortless, and shows the artists interest in the connection between his works and the space in which they are exhibited.
The artist’s photography is another highlight of the show. The works on view display empty ruinous spaces with views to the sea and desert, rendering them as an interrupting point in space that is surrounded by nothing. The expansion that encloses these “spatial capsules” becomes an absolute presence that makes it difficult to understand where these places are located, or what they are actually part of. In such spaces, time seems to freeze, and with them, the viewer, as their eyes search for a horizon from the enclosure of the concrete structures.
Giovanni Ozzola's Fallen Blossom - Whispering is on display until Feb 28. For more information, visit Galleria Continua's website here.
Photos: GJ Cabrera, Alejandro Del Castillo
