Building as a premise for life. Physical exertion as an unavoidable part of creation. A life force that digs through childhood memories shines through Flavio Favelli's photographs and wooden installations. Everyday objects like old tiles, chairs, and iron balcony parts are provided with a new context and, in their naked simplicity, reconfigured to form captivating closed spaces of the soul. With the humble attitude and physical involvement of a craftsman, Favelli, guided by a pressing need, creates these prickly forms, strictly white, that are built on raised platforms and make constant reference to life experiences. One can mount the platforms or sit on them in an attempt to understand their intimate nature. Like compartments of the mind where memories squeeze together for protection, these tenuous but solid works seize the eye, and like staircases toward the unknown they leave one fascinated and suspended. The book, conceived by the artist as a collection of travel reports composed of photographs, interviews, and thoughts, documents the key points underlying his artistic background.

"I’d like to begin with the word 'create'. I started with my own house, I began my career as an artist by renovating my house, and I haven't stopped since then. I believe that the need to create has something to do with depression, anxiety and fear. For me, art is seeing my fears as my desires, going back to my experience – saying, here, take this piece of me which is part of my history, which is made up of all our history. Scientific laws and disciplines are the awareness I have always had of images and needs – free or otherwise – which accompany me and which I work with: the experiences I've had".

(F. Favelli, conversation with S. Gualdi)


Title:
The book by Flavio Favelli

Texts:
S.Risaliti, S.Gualdi, F.Favelli

Interviews:
F.Favelli
A.Lissoni

Pages:
140

Format:
24x27 cm

Illustrations:
103 col., 7 b/w

Published:
2003

ISBN:
3-03720-001-4