Standing Into Danger: Sometimes You Just Get Lucky! Mitoraj at Pompeii

Friday, November 15, 2019

Sometimes You Just Get Lucky! Mitoraj at Pompeii

Did you, as a young child, ever hear a story that wouldn't let you go?
That made you determined to visit where it happened before you died?
On May 20, 2016 I finally realized one such dream.

I stood in the Forum in Pompeii and looked to the north at Mount Vesuvius,
imagining the horror of the 79 A.D. eruption that destroyed the city.

The volcano literally blew its top off and ejected a column
of hot gases and volcanic debris into the stratosphere.
Ash and pumice rained on Pompeii for over eighteen hours
and accumulated to a depth of 9.2 feet (2.8 meters).
Then hot, dense, rapid flows of gas and volcanic material
buried the city, killing any living things in their paths.

Mount Vesuvius from Pompeii's Forum

Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

To walk the streets and explore the buildings of Pompeii was beyond amazing!
But for those of us fortunate enough to visit this storied place
between May 14, 2016 and May 1, 2017 there was an extraordinary event.

For me Pompeii has always been about the violent volcano,
the unparalleled look into the lives of Pompeii's citizens,
the buildings and public spaces, humble and grand,
the frescoes, statuary, mosaics, and architecture.

I did not anticipate a temporary exhibit of monumental sculptures
by a Polish artist I had never heard of and likely never would have:
an exhibit that had me standing in awe at the sight
of huge, fragmented, and broken heads and bodies.

Hermanos

Brothers (2010)

by Igor Mitoraj

Bronze: 293 cm. X 326 cm. X 295 cm.

Outside, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Ikaro Blu or Blue Icarus (2013) and Tindareus (1997)

by Igor Mitoraj

Forum with Mount Vesuvius in the background,

Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

The Back of Eros Alato Con Mano

Winged Eros with Hand (2013 ~ bronze)

by Igor Mitoraj

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

The Front of Eros Alato Con Mano

Winged Eros with Hand (2013 ~ bronze)

by Igor Mitoraj

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Initially Terry and I explored Pompeii in a guided group.
This made it difficult for me to gather information on the Igor Mitoraj sculptures;
but I kept photographing them because they were hauntingly beautiful.
It wasn't until much later that I was able to find out more
about this Polish artist and his huge sculptures.

Gambe Alato or Winged Legs (left) and Torso di Ikaro (right)

by Igor Mitoraj

Looking toward the Teatro Grande from the Triangular Forum

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Ikaria (left ~ 1996) and Ikaro Alato (right ~ 2000)

by Igor Mitoraj

Looking from within the Teatro Grande

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Teseo Screpolato (2011)

by Igor Mitoraj

Bronze: 295 cm. X 188 cm. X 180 cm.

Looking toward the Quadriportico by the Theaters

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Igor Mitoraj was born in Oederan, Germany on March 26, 1944,
the child of a Polish mother and a French father.
After the end of WW II, he returned to Poland with his mother
and grew up in Grójec, southwest of Warsaw.
He graduated from art school in Bielsko-Biała
and studied painting at the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.

Mitoraj turned to sculpture and traveled in Mexico, France, and Italy
to increase his artistic knowledge as he worked with bronze terracotta, and marble.

Igor Mitoraj

29 April, 2014

Wikimedia

Mitoraj's monumental sculptures tap into the classical Greek and Roman tradition
that emphasizes idealized, perfectly proportioned human bodies and unemotional faces.
His truncated torsos and severed limbs reflect the damage
suffered by many of those ancient sculptures throughout time.

Mitoraj wanted his sculptures to reveal human nature and human imperfection.
He said of his art: “The idea of beauty is ambiguous, a double-edged sword
that can easily hurt you, causing pain and torture.
My art is an example of this dichotomy:
mesmerizing perfection attached to corrupted imperfection.”
artsy

Ikaro(left), Ikaria Bretelle(center), and Ikaro Screpolato (right)

by Igor Mitoraj

Looking toward the Basilica near the west corner of the Forum

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Ikaro Screpolato or Ikaro Cracked (1998)

by Igor Mitoraj

Adjacent to the Basilica near the west corner of the Forum

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

The Feet of Ikaro Screpolato (Icarus Cracked)

by Igor Mitoraj

Adjacent to the Basilica near the west corner of the Forum

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Ikaro Screpolato (left), Ikaria Bretelle (center), and Ikaro (right)

by Igor Mitoraj

Ikaro Screpolato Bronze: 360 cm. X 120 cm. X 85 cm.

Ikaria Bretelle Bronze: 373 cm. X 153 cm. X 111 cm.

Ikaro Bronze: 360 cm. X 120 cm. X 85 cm.

By the Basilica near the west corner of the Forum

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

As a writer, I am always fascinated by the creative process,

especially with how inspiration strikes and where ideas come from.

Mitoraj said of his process, "There are no theories, there are no explanations.

The works impose themselves on me - I am their slave."

ansa

The tragic story of Daedalus and Icarus inspired Mitoraj,

and the exhibit contained a number of magnificent sculptures

based on the two:

Daedalus, the skilled craftsman and artist who created

the labyrinth for King Minos of Crete,

and his son Icarus who flew too close to the sun with wax wings

and plunged to the earth when they melted.

King Minos had imprisoned father and son in the labyrinth,

and Daedalus and Icarus tried to escape with wings crafted by Daedalus.

Icarus drowned in the Mediterranean while his father watched from above.

Mitoraj built on the legend by imagining a sister Ikaria for Ikaro (Icarus).

The Death of Icarus

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

Daedalus and Icarus fresco, villa imperiale, Pompeii

To me there was a wonderful synergy in the connection

between ancient Pompeii and Igor Mitoraj's art.

After the exhibit ended, the Mitoraj Foundation and the Contini Art Gallery

gave Italy a gift of Mitoraj's Daedalus, one of his sculptures displayed in Pompeii.

It will remain at the entrance to Pompeii near the Temple of Venus.

Daedalus

by Igor Mitoraj

At the Entrance to Pompeii near the Temple of Venus

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Daedalus

by Igor Mitoraj

Overlooking the Sorrento Peninsula from the Temple of Venus

Regio VIII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

It was Mitoraj's dream to have his sculptures displayed in Pompeii.

He selected the exact location for each sculpture chosen for the temporary exhibit.

Sadly, he died in Paris on October 6, 2014 and never saw his sculptures
in situ among the excavations of ancient Pompeii.

This extraordinary exhibit was designed and promoted

by the foundation Terzo Pilastro ~ Italia e Mediterraneo,

with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism.

It was organized by Pompeii's Superintendency, the Contini Art Gallery,

and the Atelier Igor Mitoraj Contemporary Art Museum in Pietrasanta.

pompeiisites

Centauro or Centaur

by Igor Mitoraj

Forum, Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Pompeiani III (2007)

by Igor Mitoraj

Bronze and Marble: 176 cm. X 75 cm. X 75.5 cm.

Terme Stabiane or Stabian Baths

Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

One of the Few Female Sculptures at the Pompeii Exhibit

by Igor Mitoraj

Terme Stabiane or Stabian Baths

Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Grande Toscano (1981)

by Igor Mitoraj

Bronze: 272 cm. X 185 cm. X 80 cm.

Forum, Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

The temporary Mitoraj exhibit in Pompeii may be long over,

but I will always remember how exquisite these sculptures were.

To think I knew nothing about it, when I first walked into Pompeii.
Sometimes you just get lucky!

Memorie (2012)

by Igor Mitoraj

Forum, Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

A Very Overloaded Me
after eight hours running around
Pompei Scavi, Italy

May 20, 2019

Note: I did extensive research for this post.
I have provided the best information, documentation, and attributions that I could.
It was difficult because source after source contained similar or verbatim passages,
and for some sources I had to translate text from Italian with Google Translator.
Any mistakes are mine.

For Map Lovers Like Me:

Location of Italy

Attribution: User:David Liuzzo

wikimedia

Location of Pompeii

Google 2019

Location of Modern and Ancient Pompeii

Google 2019

Ikaro Blu or Blue Icarus (2013)

by Igor Mitoraj

Bronze: 223 cm. X 650 cm. X 238 cm.

Forum, Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

Tindareus (1997)

by Igor Mitoraj

Forum with Mount Vesuvius in the background,

Regio VII, Ancient Pompeii, Italy

May 20, 2016

36 comments:

Pat HattNovember 15, 2019 at 3:26 AM
Blue Icarus not only flew too close to the sun, but I think he's got blue balls. Double ouch lol What? had to.

I can sure relate to being a slave to the creativity sometimes, when it wants to come, it wants to come. His creative flow sure can turn out something grand. Those are some big sculptures. The cracks do make one think of imperfections we humans have.
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nashvillecats2November 15, 2019 at 4:24 AM
A lovely story to read Louise. Pleased you managed to get to the place of your story.

Enjoy your weekend.

Yvonne.
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Alex J. CavanaughNovember 15, 2019 at 5:18 AM
Sad he never got to see the statues in place. I wonder how long it took him to make all of those? Shame they couldn't leave them there - they fit well.
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L. Diane WolfeNovember 15, 2019 at 5:56 AM
Those are beautiful. What wonderful timing. I only see one woman though - were there more?
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MarthaNovember 15, 2019 at 8:22 AM
What a dream, Louise! To see all this up close. That is amazing.
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BrendaNovember 16, 2019 at 1:46 AM
These pics and info are beautiful Louise, you are very talented - in both photography and writing. Continue sharing
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AdamNovember 16, 2019 at 8:13 AM
Cool photos of your trip
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Debra She Who SeeksNovember 16, 2019 at 10:13 AM
What a great post, Louise! I enjoyed it very much. As super as it must have been to actually go to Pompeii, those magnificent sculptures would definitely enhance the experience! I noticed the overwhelmingly male depictions too, but I suppose that's inevitable, given the myth he was exploring. At least he gave Icarus a sister!

Have you been following the news about all the terrible flooding in Venice? I know it's a favourite city of yours and remember your posts about your last trip there. It must be distressing for you to see.
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Rain November 16, 2019 at 12:57 PM
Wow...what beautiful sculptures. The story of Pompeii is so sad to me, I don't know how I'd feel visiting and look up at the volcano. I'm too much of an empath to even think of visiting! I'm so glad you fulfilled a life long dream!!!
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Mildred Ratched November 17, 2019 at 1:39 PM
Thank you so much for sharing all these photos and information with us. The journey you took us on was incredible. My favorite was the Centauro or Centaur by Igor Mitoraj. but they all were just outstanding. When you think of the force of a volcano or any force of Mother Nature and how destructive it can be it's just mind boggling. I've never seen what a volcano can do, but I have seen what a hurricane can do and it looks like a war zone afterwards. Once again thank you for your beautiful photography and outstanding research to go with it.
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JaclynNovember 19, 2019 at 8:46 AM
These sculptures are beautiful and really make you think. Unfortunately, I was reminded of catastrophe, but the city of Pompeii may be a very appropriate place for this artwork.
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T. Powell ColtrinNovember 20, 2019 at 12:49 PM
Love your post and the pictures are storytelling as well.

Teresa
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Mrs. MicawberNovember 20, 2019 at 1:22 PM
Oh my word, Louise. Thank you so much for this post. The sculptures are so beautiful and powerful, and the setting is absolutely perfect. They seem to belong there. What an extraordinary talent and vision on the part of Mitoraj, and how sad that he never got to see his dream fulfilled. But how lucky for you that it was fulfilled, and that you got to see it!

I can't begin to imagine what the Pompeiians went through as their city was destroyed.
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SandiNovember 22, 2019 at 8:28 AM
Just amazing what people can make and what inspires an artist.
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bailiNovember 23, 2019 at 12:39 AM
whenever i see such sublime art whether in sculpture or painting i think of those beautiful minds who created it ,what were they they thinking,how were thy thinking it fascinates me always :)
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH for incredibly beautiful sharing dear Louise ,we watch travel guide with RickSteve ,i don't know why he made us peek into such wonderful part of Italy
wishing you joys and peace in your lovely days ahead my dear friend!
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The Happy WhiskNovember 24, 2019 at 10:07 PM
What an absolute adventure.
And to have wanted to go for so long.
Then to go. Amazing.
I felt bad for the angle without a head.
Thought the big foot statue was pretty cool.
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Theresa MahoneyDecember 3, 2019 at 9:22 PM
Those sculptures are incredible! I could spend all day walking through and admiring them. What a treat that you were able to see them in person!
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