Vernon Gallery presents the work of Italian artist Franco Gentilini. The itinerant exhibition coes back to the Czech Republic after its introduction in 1997 in the Italian Cultural Institute in Prague, and later also in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, and in the National Museum in Krakow. Visitors can look forward to Gentilini’s images of his native town Faenza, but also geometrically rendered, simplified, but not abstract views of everyday life.

Franco Gentilini (Faenza, 1909 - Rome, 1981) began with art already as a young boy. His hometown Faenza is famous for painted pottery, and is therefore not surprising that Gentilini’s first artworks were paintings on vases and plates.

During adolescence he devoted himself to painting landscapes, portraits and fine nudes, somewhere between Giovanni Romagnoli and a 19th century Impressionist.

The change in Gentilini’s production occurred after the exhibit his image on the International exhibition of Venetian art and his moving to Rome. The period around 1930 was Gentilini’s hardest, but even the most intense. He soon became popular in poetry circles, among his supporters belonged Bruno Barilli, Vincenzo Cardarelli, Giuseppe Ungaretti, or Leonardo Sinisgalli. His paintings at this time have crystallized from tonalism (paintings painted by dark, neutral shades such as gray or brown with a hint of fog) to the style of the Roman School (diverse group of artists with impressionist focus, active in Rome in 1928 - 1945).

In later work, however, Gentilini preferred style with a touch of expressionism. In this period, which became his most productive, Gentilini created images of Rome - bridges, baroque cherubs, desolate suburbs, or the famous square.

Gentilini exhibited his works at the Venice Biennale, in Niviglio gallery in Milan, at the Galerie Rive Gauche in Paris and at the Academy of St. Luke's, where in 1968 he was given the President of the Italian Republic Prize. His work has also appeared in the United States, Japan or London. These exhibitions with a dozen solo exhibitions proof inspiration, imagination and activities that Gentilini abounded.

Vernon Gallery is honored, that can to not only Czech art lovers presents the work of Franco Gentilini. Visitors will see the work of overview Gentilini’s creation. They can enjoy collages, oils on canvas sandblasted, drawings and graphic of his hometown, as well as expressionist embarrassed Rome. The exhibition will also be accompanied by photographs of the artist's life, which lent his wife, Luciana Gentilini.

The exhibition is supportedby the Italian Cultural Institute in Prague!

The opening of the exhibition is held on 26th of March at 18.00 at Gallery Vernon, in the presence of Luciana Gentilini, the wife of artist. MRS. Gentilini will read a few excerpts from her book "Staying over", which describes the experience of common life with Franco Gentilini.

ABOUT GALLERY VERNON

Gallery Vernon was founded in 2001 by its director, Monika Burian Jourdan. From the start, Vernon's objective has been clear: to support quality contemporary art and present it to the public. Its vision is to place Czech and international art side by side as equal partners and look for links between artists who may never have met, but are nonetheless united by something. Gallery is located at Janáčkovo nábřeží 21, Prague 5, is open to the public on Wednesday, Thursday 12 – 7 pm, Friday 12 – 5 pm, Saturday 10.30 am – 6 pm. The entrance fee is 30 CZK, on every first Wednesday of the month free entrance.

Special thanks to our sponsors: De'Longhi, Achour&Hájek; and media partners: ArtClue, Art Guide East, GoOut, CityBee, Expats.cz, Kulturissimo, protisedi.cz.