Icebox Gallery Presents: PIN ART by Italian photographer Maurizio Marcato.

SEE EXHIBIT

Maurizio Marcato will be at the Gallery During Art-A-Whirl Friday & Saturday!

PIN ART is the world première exhibit of 24 new photographic images created by Italian Photographer Maurizio Marcato in the classic style of the Pin Up. Showcase exhibit during Art-A-Whirl weekend at Icebox Gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA.

Maurizio Marcato is one of Italy’s most diverse and creative photographers. His newest project Pin Art celebrates the classic beauty, style and humor found in the Pin Up. Maurizio Marcato gets his inspiration from his love of beauty, nostalgia and freedom that that he first felt growing up in northern Italy in the early 1960s in the after math of Second World War.

The American soldiers had brought more than just military might to his country in the years that followed the Second World War.As a young boy Maurizio took a liking to the idealized beauty of the Pin Ups that he saw used in advertising. The American soldiers had brought some of the freedoms of expression that had already taken hold in America to Italy for the first time. It was these early glimpses of the work of Joyce Ballantyne, Al Buell, Edward Runci, and the great Gil Elvergren that left a lasting impression on Maurizio Marcato.

“In 1960, I was six years old and I lived in Col San Martino, a village in the Treviso area. I wonder if my legendary (It was told) dreamy nature was understood as my eyes followed those superb women, the pin up. Setting themselves free from the infamous violence and darkness that came with the war they followed the unrestrained fashion. They showed off their superb hips sculptured by large belts that tightly closed off their waists causing their bosoms to explode and unveil their sweet and soft forms in prurient V-shaped necklines. I have never forgotten that enticing charm, the proud and brave steps that defied the past and opened the doors to the revolutionary era of consumerism and creativity.” Maurizio Marcato

The term Pin Up first appeared in 1941 but the illustrated style goes back into the late 1800s. The original Pin Up artists were all painters and illustrators who employed the camera for only the first step in making their creations. The painter would often photograph a model appearing to be caught in the moment of an unfortunate incident causing skirts and petticoats to be lifted revealing an embarrassing lingerie display.

In Maurizio work the camera captures the moment and in post-production the images are made to appear flawless, stylized and colored in ways that resemble paintings. Each model is chosen with great care to possess a combination of youthful beauty, bright-eyed innocence and then dressed and made up in a vintage style.

Great care is taken to make the scene detailed and styled with objects and props. Two themes are displayed in this exhibit; The game of Billiards and the pleasurable experience of beer drinking.

This is Marcato’s second exhibit at Icebox Gallery. In 2007 “The Alternative use of newspapers” was exhibited. In that exhibit he created B/W images of beautifully composed examples of newspaper and it’s usefulness after it has been read. For more information visit the Icebox Gallery website: www.iceboxminnesota.com

Opens During Art-A-Whirl May 20-21-22. Exhibit Closes September 3, 2011.

Each image is a limited edition of only 12 prints.
Horizontal 21 5/8" x Verical 28 5/8" Archival Inkjet on 100% Rag Paper
Signed on the Back.

The making of "Pin Art" images in the video below.