Antonio Canova returns to speak in the present, and he does so from one of the most symbolic places in his memory, the Civic Museum of Bassano del Grappa. Here, an editorial project takes shape that combines art, critical reflection, and photography in a single visual and intellectual narrative. Federico Motta Editore is publishing the previously unpublished volume. Homage to Canova – The Master Through the Eyes of Domenico Sepe, entrusting one of the most sensitive interpreters of contemporary sculpture with a direct comparison with the legacy of the great neoclassical master.
Domenico Sepe doesn't simply reinterpret Canova through his own sculptures, paintings, and graphics, but accompanies the reader with texts that become a truly personal journey into the persistence of beauty. The immortal forms of the Venetian master, filtered through a contemporary perspective, are transformed into living matter, capable of transcending time without losing their strength, tension, and modernity.
The volume stands out for its elegant editorial design, large format, and use of high-quality materials. The images, taken during the exhibition I Canova, European genius of 2023 and in Sepe's atelier, restore the physicality of the works, the quality of the light and the spaciousness of the spaces, transforming the book into an art object as well as a study tool.
The presentation, preceded by a tour of the Canova collection, became a high-profile cultural event. Silvia Di Pietro, the volume's editor, retraced the project's inception, while Domenico Sepe gave a keynote address on Canova's astonishing modernity, citing figures such as Vittorio Sgarbi, Erri De Luca, Roberto Longhi, and Giulio Carlo Argan. Reflecting on the very origins of plastic creation, he defined the clay model as "the spark that generates every form."
The initiative's significance was underscored by a speech by Riccardo Toffanin, Curator of the Bassano Civic Museum, who described the project as "a work of great value," announcing the addition to the museum's collection of a bronze bas-relief by Sepe, also chosen for the book's cover. The evening was further enhanced by a collaboration with Poste Italiane, which presented a philatelic folder dedicated to Antonio Canova, further evidence of the dialogue between memory, art, and dissemination.
The result is a work that intertwines publishing and sculpture, past and present, portraying a living, vibrant Canova, still capable of questioning the contemporary gaze thanks to Domenico Sepe's sensitivity and artistic awareness.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
I read the article and I find the idea of combining art and reflection interesting. Canova is an important master, but I don't know if Sepe's project will truly reflect his greatness. Furthermore, the presentation at the museum seems well-organized, even though I wasn't there.