Mario Dellavedova
sitaki maneno
24 November 2006 – 20 January 2007

SPROVIERI
27 Heddon Street London W1B 4BJ

Sprovieri is pleased to present the second solo show in London by Mario Dellavedova.

Mario Dellavedova spends half of the year in Mexico where his fabric canvases are hand sewn. On each canvas he has applied neon phrases in different colours.

The exhibition is made up of six mono or bichromatic canvases. Some neon phrases are taken from the French philosopher Joseph Joubert (1754 – 1824), others are thought of by the artist or inspired by music songs. The artisan and the modern are combined in his works, as poetry and colour fuse in a unique object.

The two works that are not canvases are Usikojoe Hapa and History of Emotions. Usikojoe Hapa is a sort of reversed etching finished with phosphorescent paint; once again light plays an important role. History of Emotions comprises a pile of white sheets of paper, an axe, a rose and an empty bottle of wine.

The Swahili title, sitaki maneno, has the double and ambiguous meaning: “I do not want trouble” and “I do not want words”. Paradoxically, Dellavedova’ s works, as most of his oeuvre, incorporate an extensive use of language.