TOTEM::Andrea Pironi::Exhibition::Book Launch

18.01.2013

 

Exhibition + Book Launch

Picture 10TOTEM is a bestiary of the apparitions, the images, and the ghosts that haunt the Italian artist Andrea Pironi.

Born in Rimini in 1981, Andrea Pironi, aka Piro, starts developing his art early working on paper cut, ink drawing and painting. After a degree in graphic design at the ISA art institute in Riccione, he goes on to perfect his painting techniques at the Ravenna Academy of Arts.

Piro has always been interested in the characterization of traditions and images from either imaginary or factual deities and his style is unmissably related to graphic design, owing to the Italian tradition of Bruno Munari.

The artworks represent a profound visual dialogue with many of the world´s most distinct iconographic traditions.Half pagan, half sacred, Piro succeeds in building a new religion, mixing Mayan glyphs, Incan rock carvings, North American totem poles, South Pacific spell books, Easter Island and Angkor Wat, via Manga and 80s skatestyle.

The exhibition will show 4 new large-format works, in conjunction with the show, SHS Publishing is proud to present the author´s first book.

Collecting more than 126 original artworks, the publication is a unique work of art itself. All designs are handcut on paper during the artist’s stay in Bangkok (Thailand). They were then scanned and printed with a Duplo 63s duplicator in 7 plain colors. The covers are also all hand-carved by the author. The order of the pages differs from copy to copy. The binding was done at Legatoria Universo in Ravenna, Italy by master binder Mario Verità on a semi-manual 24-wires Martini binding machine. The cover was glued and hot pressed by hand and printed in gold foil. Each copy is numbered and signed by the artist.

Homage and satire, serious reflection and playful parody, soothing, gruesome and witty, this book constitutes a pantheon of deities and demons from a secret religion. TOTEM is about both the representation and evocation of power itself, and it will be of inspiration for designers, artists and witchdoctors alike.