Penelope's Canvas...for Ulysses
Painted in: Rome
Exhibited at: The 6th International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Florence, 2007.
Published - under the patronage of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York - in: Atlas of Contemporary Art 2024, Giunti Editore, pages 713-715.
Author's comment:
Penelope's Canvases
Penelope - who, as it is well known, is one of the most eminent fashion designer of the past, the present and the future - from the very beginning of her artistic activity asked me to recur to my imagination when "colouring" the canvases she was weaving, so that she could tailor exclusive pieces of art for her husband.
Referring to these two latest canvases, I haven't been able yet to colour them, as the fashion designer has not yet woven them completely.
By the way, I do wish to make it clear that it is not true - as it has been erroneously told us by the Odyssey edition we received - that Penelope weaves her canvas during the day and undoes it at night, just because she does not want to get married to one of her suitors: our brilliant fashion designer, in fact, is neither stupid nor time waster!
In fact, as it is well known to Penelope's close friends, since her suitors began to besiege her, she started working contemporaneously on two canvases: a big one, for her beloved husband (she is still weaving it) and a small one (she began weaving it the first day and then she abandoned it) to show it to her suitors - who wanted to marry her - having promised to get married to one of them as soon as she had completed the canvas...
Well, I too vow to paint both canvases... as soon as Penelope will have woven them!
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Comment by Dr. Sabrina Falzone who – on FAfotoantologia.it – writes regarding the author’s participation in the sixth edition of the Florence Biennale:
The state of the Art... post, post, post-contemporary
Marco Salvatore Mallamaci, the most famous foreign artist in China, will participate in the 6th edition of the “International Biennial of Contemporary Art”, announced by the organizing body Arte Studio and with the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, which will take place in Florence at the exhibition pavilions of the Fortezza da Basso, located near Santa Maria Novella.
From 1 to 9 December 2007, three of Marco’s paintings will reach the art capital, together with other works by 840 artists from 76 nations for an extraordinary meeting between different cultures, languages and styles.
On display are three canvases by Marco, painted in oil, of great revolutionary significance: “Astolfo’s Ampoule”, “Add your signature!” and “Penelope’s Canvas… for Ulysses”. The latter is the pendant of “Penelope’s Canvas… for her Suitors”, both very original in their incompleteness: they have been deliberately left blank by the artist, who intends painting them as soon as Penelope finishes weaving the canvases: they are two because the larger one is for Ulysses and the other, smaller in size, for her Suitors.
“Add your signature!”, the work that the artist himself defines as “post, post, post-contemporary” is nothing else than the most extraordinary masterpiece because it could be the only masterpiece co-signed by artists who probably have never met, nor will they meet in future; the cheapest because to add one’s signature, one is required to pay one hundred million euros, but at the same time also the most charitable because the sum paid would be used entirely and exclusively for the education of particularly intelligent but extremely poor students from developing countries; finally, the most immortal because the most important museums in the world could compete to the last cent to be able to host this $u¢¢€$$fu£ work, making the author immortal.
The Florence Biennale, the largest contemporary art exhibition, can be visited every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the lower floor of the Spadolini Pavilion inside the Fortezza da Basso exhibition center.
Press Office Manager: Dr. Sabrina Falzone
E-mail: ufficiostampa@sabrinafalzone.info
Official website: www.sabrinafalzone.info
www.marcoartstudio.com
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Comment:
"The revolutionary importance of Marco’s art is particularly evident in “Add your Signature!” which contemplates a request that is impossible to fulfill, and in “Penelope’s Canvas”, both of them incredibly original in their incompleteness. The canvas were purposely left blank by the artist, who promises to color them as soon as Penelope finishes weaving them: there are two as the largest one is for Ulysses while the other much smaller one is for her suitors". (Dr. Sabrina Falzone)
