Added to museum: 10/5/05
Combine the eye of a great artist with a sense of humor and a craftsman of great skill and you have Italian artist Livio De Marchi. The twinkle in his eye somehow comes through in his work.
Livio De Marchi came to our attention when another craftsman suggested we take a look at his work. While it is normally our practice to display the work of craftsmen who might not otherwise come to the attention of the public, and Mr. De Marchi’s work has become known world-wide, we felt the quality of his carving skills merited our placing it with that of our other expert craftsmen who might not be so well known. In addition, Mr. De Marchi’s work displays a certain sense of whimsical contrast between subject and material that jars the senses. The soft folds of cloth on a table, women’s underclothes hanging on a clothesline or the sensuous curves and mechanical detail of a full size Ferrari F50 are not the usual subjects of a wood carver. When something in America is described as “wooden” it often has the meaning of being stiff, stilted and ungainly. His work, though carved from wood, is anything but “wooden” in that sense. In addition, the common woods he uses, knots and all, make it clear that he is not trying to disguise the nature of the medium.
His work has been honored many times as art, but we would like to honor him here for the expert craftsmanship in wood, as that must first be mastered before the art can be created. We hope you enjoy this slight departure from our usual displays in this museum.
Livio De Marchi navigates the canals of Venice in his floating, powered, carved wood Ferrari F50. He has created a number of other floating works of art as well, from other cars to origami sculpture like hats and swans rendered in wood.
(Reproduced in part from Livio De Marchi’s web site with permission.)
Livio De Marchi was born in Venice where, still a child, he worked on ornamental sculpture in the Venetian tradition in the workshop of a craftsman while he studied art and drawing at the "Accademia di Belle Arti" in Venice. His career starts there, displaying at once an astounding skill in molding materials, transforming them with wit and panache and creating sculptures with perfection of detail and spontaneity. During his artistic evolution he worked first in marble, then bronze, and eventually in wood. However, wood has always been his favorite material because it affords him a vitality which other materials do not.
Since opening his own studio, Livio De Marchi has allowed his fantasy to take wing. After a deep inner evolution, his ironical ability to "see" life got the upper hand, letting him carve his own unique sculpture. His artworks have been shown in cities all over the world including Milan, Florence, London, Paris, Düsseldorf, Zürich, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo. They have also been acclaimed in a number of magazines such as Interior Design, Capital, Casa Vogue, Madame Figaro, Vogue, Hauser, Decoration, and more. Furthermore, his works have been the subject of many television features in several foreign countries.
Livio De Marchi outside a gallery of his work in wood and glass. (Click on photo to see a larger image.)
Mr. De Marchi’s web site at http://www.livioDeMarchi.com/index.htm shows the great variety of his current work, which is primarily done in wood, but there is also an interesting selection of items in glass, some of which are combined with wood pieces. Follow the link above and you can view all of his work. We have selected a few of our favorites which you may view in the section below.
Livio De Marchi uses simple but familiar tools to do his wood carving. He uses about 100 different chisels and an old wooden hammer which is dated "1964." They are always on his workbench and he uses each and every one of them. If just one chisel is missing, he finds it difficult to work.
Livio De Marchi at work in his studio. These photos were taken several years ago by a friend and customer. (Click on any photo for a larger image.)
(Click photos for larger images.)
In 1985, continuing his activity as a sculptor, Livio De Marchi created an enormous paper hat in wood in the Japanese Origami style. In 1986, a gigantic floating woman's shoe saw the light of day. In 1987, again following the tradition of Origami, he carved a dove of peace which stands alongside the paper hat in the Central Park in Himeji (Japan) as a monument. In the same year the Kunsthalle Museum in Emden (Germany) acquired a big pot with brushes - "Flowers of the Artist". At Kimihiro Fujii's Gallery Hiro in Tokyo there was a personal show. In 1988 he created a floating life-size 1937 Jaguar sculptured in wood. The Carsch House in Düsseldorf (Germany) organized a personal show of Livio De Marchi.
In 1989, he carved la life-size Fiat Topolino mod. A. The Jelmoli company in
Zürich organized a personal show dedicated to him. In 1990, he created the
"House of Books". It is in S. Anna - Tambre D'Alpago (BL) Italy. It has already
achieved worldwide fame. In 1991 the Jelmoli company organized another show for
him in Zürich. In 1993 Dutch Television (Tros) made a special documentary about
him.
Ripley's American Museum in S. Augustine - Florida acquired the "Fiat Topolino"
and the floating "1937 Jaguar". The museum of art in Muskegon - Michigan
(U.S.A.) purchased a big pot of brushes to put on display in the museum. Livio
De Marchi carried out the "House of Books n. 2" in Germany - Bergneustadt
(between Frankfurt and Köln) for a private collection.
In 1994 his fantasy took flight again and he realized a floating work of art with the title "a dream in Venice": a huge pumpkin drawn by 4 horses, which rear up when the driver pulls the reins. The pumpkin can accommodate 4 people. It was one of the jewels of Carnival 1994. After a few months the museum "Ripley's Believe it or not!" obtained this piece too for its collection. In October 1994, he constructed his "House of Books n. 3" in Japan,. It is at the Pension Costa del Sol on the peninsula of Izu, in front of the Pacific Ocean. Livio De Marchi intends to execute 10 of his "House of Books" creations all around the world.
For
Carnival in Venice in 1995 he carved an 8 meter high vase with 12 flowers (4
roses, 4 tulips, 4 daisies). It was anchored near the Dogana on the Grand Canal.
In Spring, 1995 Angelika Obermüller organized a personal show in Munich in her
Gallerie + Tee. In June 1995 he showed his artworks in a personal exhibition in
Austria in a wonderful old castle in Frohnleiten.
From March 30th to May 4th 1996 there was a Personal exhibition c/o Galerie
Lieve Hemel in Amsterdam. In February 1997 he created a floating wooden motor
car "Mercedes Seagull," and it was shown at the Art fair KunstRAI. There was
another personal exhibition at the Galerie Lieve Hemel in May-July.
In Febuary 1999 he created a floating wooden car “Volkswagen Beetle,” and it was shown at the Art fair Kunst RAI in June 1999. In June-July 1999 a personal exhibition was shown at the Galerie Lieve Hemel. In November 1999, 2000 his works were shown at SOFA Chicago c/o Mostly Glass Gallery. In 2000 the exhibition IL LEGNO IN VETRO was shown at the gallery Pauly S.Marco, Venice. In 2000 he created a floating wooden Ferrari F50. In 2001 the Ferrari and other large works were shown in Palm Springs, California and Tuor, USA c/o Mostly Glass Gallery. In 2003, from 14th June to 20th July, the fifth personal exhibition was held at Galerie Lieve Hemel in Amsterdam.
Kunsthalle, Emden~ Germania
Ripley’s “Believe it or not”, Florida, Wisconsin, USA, Tilandia
Museum of Art, Muskegon, Michigan, USA
Miniature Museum of Contemporary Art, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen, Wolfsburg, Germany
Interior Design, Capital, Casa Vogue, Madam Figaro, Vogue, Hauser, Decoration etc.
Dutch TV (Tros), Swiss TV, German TV, Japanese TV, TV Capo d’Istria, BBC “Crusades” with Jones ( Monty Python), MTV, RAI etc.
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