Matured over ten years of research, today the work of Francesca Pasquali is centred around a critical analysis that tends to reflect on the relationship between conception and procedure, placing the artist’s methodological approach closer to the practices of environmental art, relational aesthetics, and interdisciplinary perspective, on one hand, and reuse, recycling and plastic reinterpretation of common objects on the other. Yet, over the years, for certain exhibitions and installations even on a large scale, critical analysis has been focused on her single work cycles, each one of which was developed based on the nature and conformation of the material, on many occasions described by the artist as being the main driving force behind the form of each work. She considers her personal creative action as experiential and process-based, developed from the suggestions that the material triggers in her mind as she studies it. This resulted in various cycles: Frappe, Straws, Bristles, Spiderballs, works made with neoprene, polyurethane foam, and then with playful everyday objects like balloons, rubber bands, and sleigh bells, but also flour and water dough, marble, plastic chips, plastic cups.

 

Colour is a predominant element in Francesca Pasquali’s artistic research. The artist never intervenes to change or alter the original colour of the materials with which she works, but selects materials according to their chromatic variations. In certain cases, she chooses vibrant, almost violent combinations, while at other times she prefers monochromatic tones, according to the emotional and sensorial effect she wishes to produce. In many cases, the colour of her works is reflected in the surrounding space, characterising the environment and spilling over onto walls and floors, creating a tension that provokes different reactions and feelings in each viewer.

 

Experience as an obligatory choice, a journey through a material and its aesthetic reactivation without an instruction manual or a validated map, but lived through the making, at a carefully measured pace, between tradition and innovation. Art is made and one comes to know it through its making; the project is only an idea that can be overturned during the process of assembly, composition, and staging. The becoming process is pertinent to the artist’s work and flows through it like sap between artifice and nature: life continues to flow in an inert curled plastic shaving, along fine straws, and among delicate brush fibres. A patient, loving action embraces these materials and symbolically, ourselves as well: art is born where the unexpected occurs.

 

With her recent works composed of transparent coloured plastic straws, cut to different lengths and assembled even on circular, mirror-polished, Plexiglas disks, Francesca Pasquali has been working on virtual kinetics and the relationship between the artwork and viewer. The vibratile surfaces composed of thousands of plastic straws form works with strong impact: three-dimensional objects that reflect on the potential of extending the artistic gesture within the space, engaging the public in the continuous movement and panorama that activate the transfiguration and transformation of the compositional patterns. In recent years, Francesca Pasquali has been collaborating with technical professionals in experimenting with light projection, sound recording, and Kinect processing. In darkened spaces, these advanced technologies read the movements of the public standing in front of the piece; they project light beams and sounds of varying intensity according to the type of gesture made by the viewer. By switching on the work and bringing it to life, the public becomes involved in a very close and unique, physical and emotional relationship.

 

 

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Bologna, she degreded from the Fine Art Academy.

She lives in Bologna, Italy. She works between Brescia, Florence and Paris.

One of the foundress of the Italian Movement Resilienza Italiana.

 

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

2014   HENRAUX PRIZE, Henraux Foundation, Querceta, Lucca, SECOND PRIZE

            Acquisition of a work for the Permanent Collection, Mar Museum, Ravenna

2013   SCULTPURE NETWORK, project of sculptors group curated by I. Bignotti, Munich,                                     Germany, WINNERS

2012   NOCIVELLI PRIZE, Brescia, THIRD SCULPTURE PRIZE

            designER, young designers in Emilia Romagna, Fashion Design, WINNER

2011   CO.CO.CO, Como Contemporary Contest, Como, FINALIST

            ARTE RUGABELLA PRIZE, Villa Rusconi, Milan, FINALIST

            BICE BUGATTI, GIOVANNI SEGANTINI PRIZE, Monza, FINALIST

            “A CURA DI…”, young curator prize, Bologna; WINNER S. Gavioli, curator of the                                         project “FabulART” with Francesca Pasquali

2010   RICICLARTI, Visual Art, Padova, WINNER

            “IL SEGRETO DELLO SGUARDO, San Fedele visual art prize, Milan, FINALIST

            Acquisition of a work for the Permanent Collection, Diocesan Museum, Brescia

            ARTE LAGUNA, Tese di San Cristoforo, Arsenale, Venice, FINALIST

            ARTE LAGUNA, Italian Institute of Culture, Vienna and Prague, THIRD PRIZE

            “A CURA DI…”, young curators prize, Modena, WINNER A. Lerda, curator of the                                         project “Organic Inorganic” with Francesca Pasquali

2009   TALENT PRIZE, visual art contest, curated by N. Zanella, G. Talarico, Rome, MENTION

2008   ARTEINGENUA International Prize, Brescia, FINALIST

2006   PREMIO DAMS, curated by R. Barilli, R. Daolio, National Art Gallery, Bologna, FINALIST

 

 

SELECTED SOLO EXIBITION

2015   SPIDERBALL CLOUD, site specific installation, Biennale Giovani Monza, Casa degli                                   Umiliati, Museo Civico, Monza

2014   39.000 LIGHT STRAWS, kinetic-site specific installation, Raccolta Lercaro,  

            Modern Art Museum, Bologna

            CRITICA IN ARTE, Curated by I. Bignotti, Mar Museum, Ravenna

            SIXTIES SPIDERBALLS,  site specific installation, THE HOUSE OF PERONI, London

2013   MARAZUL 4 GURU, site specific installation, Guru Store, Barcelona

            MOTORE:PASSIONE, curated by March Foundation, Padova

            SPIDERBALLS 4 GURU, site specific installation, Guru Store, Milan

            A ME GLI OGGHI, curated by I. Bignotti, Colossi Contemporary Art Gallery, Brescia

            DesignER, young designers in Emilia Romagna, Fashion Design, Modena

2011   SWAB, International Contemporary Art Fair,

            curated by Colossi Contemporary Art, Barcelona

            SCOPA/mi, curated by D. Nedkova, I. Bignotti, Oltre Dimore Gallery, Bologna

            ELASTIC, site specific installation, curated by E. Mayerle, Thetis Foundation, Venice

            CAMMINANDO/CONTAMINANDO, site specific installation, Art Fair OFF,

            Capo di Lucca, Bologna

2010   METAMORFOSI, curated by I. Bignotti, Diocesan Museum, Brescia

            MI SENTO S-GONFIA, site specific installation, Art Fair OFF,

            curated by La Pillola Gallery, Bologna

            INTRECCI, curated by P. Insolera, Gnudi Palace, Bologna

 

 

SELECTED GROUP EXIBITION

2015   RARITY SUMMER SALON SHOW, Rarity Gallery, Mykonos

            ART BASEL HONG KONG, Art Fair, Tornabuoni Art, Hong Kong

            ART ON LOAN, curated by E. Fiammetta, New Museum of Contemporary Art, Alcamo

            RETI DI RESILENZA, curated by I. Bignotti, E. Fiammetta, Atelier del Baglio Di Stefano,                             Orestaldi Foundation, Gibellina

            MACROCOSMI, Ordnungen anderer Art, Organismi fuori centro,

            curated by M.Cavallarin, P. Jordan, Teatri di Vita, Bologna

            ARTE FIERA, Art fair, Bologna

2014   ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH, Art Fair, Tornabuoni Art, Miami Beach

            RETI DI RESILIENZA, SMART CITY, curated by I. Bignotti, E. Fiammetta,

            Museum of Contemporary Art, Riso, Palermo

            FIAC, Art Fair, Tornabuoni Art, Paris

            STREET SCAPE ComOn, curated by C. Canali, I. Quaroni, Museo Civico, Como

            ECCENTRICO MUSIVO: young artists and mosaic, curated by D. Torcellini,

            Mar Museum, Ravenna

            HENRAUX FOUNDATION, prize exibition, Querceta, Lucca

            CONTEMPORARY EXPRESSIONS, Tornabuoni Art Gallery, Florence

            PUNTI DI PARTENZA: IL MARE VISTO DA MONTE, curated by I.Bignotti, Pav Museum, Tourin

            RESILIENZA ITALIANA, curated by I. Bignotti, Spazio Giva, Milan

            ARTEFIERA, Art Fair, Colossi Arte Contemporanea, Bologna

            BAF, Art Fair, Colossi Arte Contemporanea, Bergamo

            D.A.B. jewel design, Maxxi Museum, Rome

2013   ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH, Art Fair, Tornabuoni Art, Miami Beach

            O(Ax)=dO(Am) Impossible Equation, curated by, D. Torcellini, Ninapì Gallery, Ravenna

            FIAC, Art Fair, Tornabuoni Art, Paris

            ART VERONA, Art Fair, colossi Arte Contemporanea, Verona

            BIANCO ITALIA, curated by D. Stella, Tornabuoni Art, Paris and Florence

            ART BASEL HONG KONG, Art Fair, Tornabuoni Art, Hong Kong

            ARTE FIERA, Art Fair, Colossi Arte Contemporanea, Bologna

2012   NaturalMente, Italy Cina Art Biennale, curated by Aikal, Villa Reale, Monza

            PREMIO NOCIVELLI, contest of italian contemporary art, curated by Techne, Brescia

            PERSONAL EFFECTONSALE, curated by M. Scotti, Esprit Nouveau Pavillon, Bologna

            BAF, Art Fair, Colossi Arte Contemporanea, Bergamo

2011   THE OTHERS, Spazio Le Nuove, Art Fair, Oltre Dimore, Tourin

            VERONA Art Fair, Colossi Arte Contemporanea, Verona

            MIART, Art Fair, Colossi Arte Contemporanea, Milan

            ARTE nell’ARTE, Santa Giulia Museum, curated by Colossi Contemporary Art, Brescia

            D.A.B. Design for Art Bookshop, MACEF Fair, Milan; Sant’Elmo Castle, Naples

            BICE BUGATTI, GIOVANNIO SEGANTINI PRIZE, curated by M. Galbiati, E. Modena, I.                                 Bignotti, Monza

            AAM, curated by Colossi Contemporary Art, Milan 

            L’ITALIA S’É DESTA_150 anni d’unità nell’arte contemporanea, preview of the                                             Unification of Italy exibition, Colossi Contemporary Art Gallery, Brescia

            SHINGLE22J, Contemporary Art Biennal, Rome

2010   ATTRAVERSO LO SPECCHIO, curated by E. Modena, Castello dei Pico, Mirandola

            FabulART, curated by S. Gavioli, D’Accursio Palace, Bologna

            ECOBRAIN, Ecomondo International Trade Fair & Energy Recovery and                                                       Sustainable Development, curated by M. Cavallarin, Rimini

            IL SEGRETO DELLO SGUARDO, San Fedele exibition Prize, San Fedele Gallery, Milan

            COLLETTIVA IN BIANCO, Oltre Dimore Gallery, Bologna

            ART and THE CITY, curated by S. Gavioli, Spazioblue, Bologna

            RICICLARTI, curated by N. Bordiglia, M. Merlin, ex Macello, Padova

            ARTE LAGUNA, Italian Institute of Culture, Prague and Vienna

            ARTEinATTESA, yuong artists of Emilia Romagna for the Politecnico of Modena

            ARTE LAGUNA PRIZE, Tese di San Cristoforo, Arsenale, Venice

            ORGANIC-INORGANIC, curated by A. Lerda, Neon/campo base Gallery, Bologna

2009   PREZIOSI, SCULTURE DA INDOSSARE, curated by M. Galbiati, Leo Galleries, Monza

            ECOLE DEL RUSCO, site specific installation, curate by Ciclostile Architettura, Piazza                               Liber Paradisus, Bologna

2008   “CONTEMPORARY ART”, curated by P. Insolera, Casa Lavallé, Bruxelles

            “ATTO PRIMO”, curated by I. Bignotti, C. Cordoni, Guido Iemmi Gallery, Milan

2006   100 ANNIVERSARY ESTATE 1906-2006, S.Croce Municipal Gallery, Cattolica

            FESTIVAL DELLE ARTI, Sala Museale del Baraccano, Bologna

            PREMIO DAMS, curated by R. Barilli, R. Daolio, National Art Gallery, Bologna

 

 

PUBLICATIONS

2014   PREMIO FONDAZIONE HENRAUX, prize catalog, edited by E. Mattei, Henraux                                           Foundation, Lucca

            RESILIENZA ITALIANA, dialogues and reflections, Mimesis Ed.

            CRITICA IN ARTE, monograph, edited by I.Bignotti, Mar Museum, Ed. La Greca

            BAZART CINA, Sofia Straws for Salvatore Ferragamo

2013   BIANCO ITALIA, edited by D. Stella, Forma Ed.

            TITOLO, “Azzardi creativi e rischi critici”, edited by I. Bignotti, Rubbettino Ed.

            THE TREE MAG www.thetreemag.com

            VORMPLATFORM www.vormplatform.com

            CLASS, “Opere che si fanno guardare e toccare”, monthly, March

2012   FRANCESCA PASQUALI, monograph, edited by I. Bignotti,

            Colossi Contemporary Art, Colorart Ed.

            PERSONALEFFECTSONSALE, exibition catalogue, Danilo Montanari Ed.

            DC dentro CASA, monthly, Nov

2011   A CURA DI, catalog of the three editions of the regional competition for young                                         curators and art critics, edited by O. Corradini

            CO.CO.CO. Como Contemporary Contest, exibition catalog, curated by L. Cherubini

            MIRAME, monograph, curated by I. Bignotti

            BICE BUGATTI, GIOVANNI SEGANTINI PRIZE, exibition catalog, curated by M. Galbiati,  

            I.Bignotti, E. Modena 

            SHINGLE 22J ECOARTE, exibition catalog

            ARTE CONTEMPORANEA, monthly, June-Aug, written by I. Bignotti

            INSIDEART, monthly, Mar, Talarico Ed.

2010   JULIET n. 150, monthly, Dec-Jan, written by I. Bignotti

            JULIET n. 149, “Insonnie creative”, monthly, Oct-Nov, written by I. Bignotti

            INTERNI n. 606, monthly, Nov

            BARCHE, “L’anima della materia”, monthly, july, written by L. Biazzi

            ELLE DECOR, monthly, April

            ARTE LAGUNA PRIZE, exibition catalog

            INSIDEART, “Sintetiche evocazioni”, monthly, curated by M. Marchionni

2009   IL SEGRETO DELLO SGUARDO, exibition catalog, San Fedele Prize

            ELLE DECOR, monthly, Nov

            TALENT PRIZE, exibition catalog

2008   IL RESTO DEL CARLINO, “L’appartamento diventa Galleria d’Arte”,

            written by C. Fabbri, Bologna

            TERNA PRIZE, website, cat. Gigawatt, cod. 3084

2006   GUIDA ALLO STUDENTE 2006, Bologna Fine Arts Academy Guide

            DAMS PRIZE, exibition catalog, Young Artist Biennal

 

 

CRITICAL ANTHOLOGY

R. Barilli, L. Biazzi, N.Bordiglia, A. Borogelli, I, Bignotti, C. Canali, R. Daolio, C. Fabbri, M. Galbiati, C. Gatti, S. Gavioli, A. Lerda, M. Marchionni, E. Mayele, M. Merlin, V. Mosca, D. Nedkova, I. Quaroni, D. Stella, G. Talarico, D.Torcellini, F. Vason, N. Zanella