Giovanni Ozzola | Dove Nasce Il Vento
09 September - 04 october

 

HAZARD Gallery is delighted to present the first solo exhibition in South Africa of internationally acclaimed Italian artist, Giovanni Ozzola.

 

Dove Nasce Il Vento is the artist’s first solo exhibit in South Africa and includes photographic stills including a new work from his world toured video work * Garage – Sometimes You can See Much More, and a series of new sculptures inspired by the vastness of nature and the idea of exploration, all made during his recent residency at the Nirox Foundation at the Cradle of Humankind near Johannesburg.

 

Giovanni’s work encompasses sculpture, photography, video, and examines the individual’s place within the magnitude of the universe and the concept of infinity. In a large-scale photographic still entitled Garage - Johannesburg, Giovanni explores the relationships between images as a mental representation and reality. Contrasting a pure and untouched image of the Johannesburg horizon with an industrial foreground, he uses light as a tool to guide his vision.

 

Giovanni has explored the concept of light in its infinite possibilities. His new work focuses on the use of different mediums such as copper, gold, aluminum, bronze and gem stones. Through these pure materials and organic imagery the artist underlines the importance in the idea of discovery, whether physical or through self-exploration.

 

Golden paths carved into aluminium, retrace and intertwine the journeys of past explorers, to create two wall sculptures entitled The Paths to Ourselves-series, the artist refers to these as a ‘physical human geography.’

 

Giovanni Ozzola 

Firenze - 1982

Lives and works in Canary Island

 

Encompassing sculpture, photography, and video, Giovanni’s work examines the individual’s place within the magnitude of the universe.

 

Giovanni has exhibited internationally with works held in numerous private and public collections, Including Mart, Rovereto, Italy; Chelsea Art Museum, New York; Sharjah Maraya Art Center, Dubai; Mori museum, Tokyo, Japan; Schunck-Glaspaleis, Herleen, Netherlands; Künstlerhaus Palais Thurn und Taxis, Bregenz, Austria; Galleria Continua, San Gimignano / Beijing / Le Moulin; Palazzo Delle Papesse, Siena; Man Museo d’Arte, Nuoro, Italy; Waseda University,Tokyo, Japan; Centre d’Art Bastille, Grenoble, France; gc.ac, Monfalcone; Viafarini Docva, Milano, Italy; Centro Arti Visive Pescheria, Pesaro; Ocat – Contemporary Art Terminal, Shanghai, Guandong Muesum of Art, Guangzhou.

 

Among his awards are the “Premio Terna” (2008), the “talent prize” (2010) and the “Premio Cairo” (2011).

 

Upcoming exhibitions include Tu Dois Changer Ta Vie curated by Fabrice Bousteau, Follia Continua at Le Cenquatre, Paris France, More Spaces at Palazzo Pigoroni, Parma Italy and The Approach, Gazelli Art House, London.