Franco Pegonzi - Sculptor

Franco Pegonzi - review

" [...] After achieving this Gate of Salvation, the metaphor of the tree becomes crucial in Pegonzi's works, though it takes on the opposite meaning to what it had in the past. It in fact ceases to be apure symbol of harmony. Silent growth in dual direction, link between darkness and light, dia- logue between earth and sky with the twofold breathing of leaves and roots. If the sky is the expression of the un- grasp able divine, how greater the suffering ofman and tree in the immeasurable distance from it. Mans suffer- ing in social isolation, and the tree paining in the envi- ronmental desolation caused by human hands. His last Great tree, 2003 here then becomes impetus, scream, ultimate plea exploding from the present dramatic con- dition.

Thus Pegonzi's stone becomes prayer again through an undoubtedly more patient artistic expression. In this sort of votive offering that the sculptor conceives as a reply of our uneasy period to the religious tension for beauty that has pervaded his town. In this case too he resorts to the more congenial grayish-green Matraia stone, so hard and discrete and ascetic. He has carved the shape di- rectly from a huge block, inventing the fittest tools to carry out his work. Here then the great tree twisting from the ground searching the sky. With a swift, almost "Gothic" twisting movement, it tries to uproot itself, its foliage spread out, like an invoking mouth or desperate outstretched arms. In Piazza San Michele it tries to start again the dialogue with the Archangel that disperses the darkness of evil. The moaning tree rooted to the earth and the Other rooted to the sky smiling. Who knows if they will ever embrace again.

Giuseppe Cordoni - 2003

Franco Pegonzi

Art Gallery