Nerone and Patuzzi 'Elemento Luminose', 1970, Signed, Published, Original Label

$6,400List Price

About the Item

Beautiful 'elemento luminose' , illuminated wall sculpture designed by the renowned italian sculptors Nerone Ceccarelli & Giovanni Patuzzi (Gruppo NP2) for the gallery 'Forme and Superfici'. Turin,Italy in 1970. The panel has the engraved signature of both Nerone and Patuzzi and still bears the original 'forme and superfici' paper label to the rear of the panel. This sculpture is published in an original 'Forme e Superfici catalog' and the January 1971 issue of the renowned italian design periodical 'Interni-La rivista dell Arredamento'. Please see Literature section below for full reference. The central disc features a beautiful abstract hand crafted sculptural relief motif on metal , probably zinc, which is illuminated by a hidden fluorescent tube light. The frame surrounding the central sculptural disc is finished in stove enameled steel over a wood structure and features copper detailing. One of Nerone and Patuzzi's best known works is the enormous , 150 square metre, bas relief in zinc that they created in 1972 for the 'hemicycle' of the then new 'Schulman' building (1973) in Luxembourg which housed the early meetings of the European Parliament . The hemicycle was beautifully decorated following a project by the architect Simonis, combining different materials (leather, wood, metal) in a geometrical harmony, the whole integrated by Nerone and Patuzzi's huge zinc bas-relief on the rear wall. PLEASE SEE IMAGE 9. The zinc models were engraved using an etching technique, representing geometrical and abstract figures, and mounted on a surface of 150 square metres. The bas-relief was considered at the time to be the biggest sculpture in metal of the world. LITERATURE: Original 'Forme e superficie' catalog, confirms name as 'Elemto luminose' model ref C3 104 LZ', 'INTERNI , LA RIVISTA DELL ARREDAMENTO' January 1971, page 18, PLEASE SEE IMAGE 8. BIOGRAPHY In 1962 Nerone and Patuzzi founded the 'Gruppo NP2', an acronym that includes the initials of Nerone and Giancarlo Patuzzi: together with other artists "they experiment with new sources of poetic expression from the materials". = The aim of the group is to promote the integration of art in architecture together with other professionals, including Luigi Marchisotti, Dedalo Montali, Lucia Petrocchi, Virgilio Petrocchi, Raoul Portal, Jolanda Novi, Piercarlo Iorio, Evian Medici, Luciano Patetta, Nicoletta Medici, Carlo Mollino, Angelo Cortesi. The presence of Nerone's brother Piercarlo Ceccarelli proved to be fundamental during the first years of the Group, as he, with his managerial skills and working ties with the USA dealt with the promotion of ideas and organizational aspects. Thanks to Piercarlo Ceccarelli, moreover, between 1965 and 1967, international exhibitions were organized in the U.S.A and Canada: New York, Philadelphia, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The need to find new horizons and innovative methods for integrating art into the environment is realized, at the end of the Sixties with the birth of the brand Forme e Superfici srl, a center of design, research and production in the fields of design, architecture and furniture, wanted by Nero. The artworks created by the group were fabricated and showcased through their atelier and gallery ' Forme e Superfici. (forms and surfaces), 'Forme e superfici' was initally based just in Turin but expanded internationally into Brussels under the direction of architect Group 2 Roger Vanhevel. in Paris with Elise Fridt, in Frankfurt with Giancarlo Gabbianelli, in Rome with Enrico Caruso and, lastly, in Milan with the architect Nicoletta Medici. Most of the works of these early years were created by Nerone and Patuzzi , ,PLEASE SEE IMAGE 10, for a small selection of these, but they were certainly not alone: there are many artists who revolved around the group, always open to the search for new artistical frontiers. The participants were united by the idea that it does not make sense to make an art that is an end in itself. Sculpture and painting must interpret the space and become an integral part of daily life, so that, within the group, ideas linked to the sociology of living and urban planning were nurtured Thus, the artists define themselves as "social sculptors". To promote its artistic activity to the general public, as a non-elite but dynamic and democratic art, from 1974, the NP2 Group has also used some self-produced magazines. One of these publications, "AR?", Under the direction of Antonio Ferrari and, later, Piero Tarallo, published texts by architects and historians of contemporary art, among which Evian Medici, Luciano Patetta, Guido Ballo, Domenico Negri stand out. . In the second issue of "AR?" the manifesto of the work of the Group were clarified under four points: "downsizing the styling value of the object of use for a return to more frank and lasting models." "Return to maximal use of the products so as to obtain programmed objects already in place for prolonged use." "Resumed in some sectors of craftsmanship." "Planning of urban and extra-urban environments in order to leave ample room for self-management of the environment by the inhabitant." In 1969 the NP2 Group was awarded the "Niveau de Bronze" by the French architects' committee. The award, conferred "for the interventions of art in architecture", is assigned for the first time to an Italian artist.

Creator:
Nerone and Patuzzi (Sculptor)
Dimensions:
Height: 39.38 in (100 cm)Width: 35.44 in (90 cm)Depth: 4.34 in (11 cm)
Style:
Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Copper,Metal,Steel,Wood,Enameled,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
1970-1979
Date of Manufacture:
1970
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. A few light scratches to the stove enameled surrounding frame finish. The lamp is in full working condition.
Seller Location:
bergen op zoom, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU93019911411

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Nerone and Patuzzi

Nerone and Patuzzi furniture is a shining example of the experimental side of mid-century modern design. While the style is known mainly for its clean lines and simple forms, this Italian duo showcased how artistic it could be. Together, they designed beautiful abstract and figurative sculptures, as well as sculptural coffee tables and wall lights.

Gianni Patuzzi (1932–2022) and Giovanni Ceccarelli (1937–1996), who went by the name Nerone, worked together under the NP2 Group. They met while they were both students at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia and were acquainted again in Turin in 1959. The two struck up a fruitful partnership, and in 1962, they started the NP2 Group out of a studio in the Borgaro Torinese northwest of the city.

The idea behind the NP2 group was to integrate art with architecture and furniture making, bringing it out of museums and making it more accessible. The studio of the two young designers quickly became an exciting hub of innovation, attracting talented designers and artists like Marcel Breuer and Emilio Vedova.

In 1964, Nerone’s younger brother, Piercarlo Ceccarelli, joined the NP2 Group as a manager and administrator. Ceccarelli was instrumental in creating relationships with galleries, showrooms and architects throughout Europe and the United States. The group began receiving both public and private commissions.

By the late 1960s, the work of Nerone and Patuzzi was being exhibited around the world, earning recognition and awards. Their designs included everything from furniture and fittings to monumental sculptures. They utilized a wide range of techniques, including woodworking, metalworking and marble engraving.

Around this time, Nerone and Patuzzi began working on individual side projects, but they continued collaborating as the NP2 Group until 1974.

In an interview with the European Parliamentary Research Service in 2016, Patuzzi reflected fondly on his time collaborating with Nerone, remembering that they worked hard but with great enthusiasm.

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