New Indiana University exhibit explores works of artist-in-residence Andrea Ventura
Some of the more startling things gallery visitors will notice are Andrea Ventura's paintings of supine, dying children in military uniforms.
The New Yorker, The New York Times and many other publications commission his illustrations, but sometimes Ventura likes to do his own thing. So he paints on pieces of paper that connect to each other. Both styles are on display now through March 8 at the Grunwald Gallery of Art at Indiana University.
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Ventura's two modes look very different from each other, but the process, for him, is the same.
"When I work, I am like a child at play," he said over the phone. "I take it very seriously, just as a child does while playing."
"I read about a disease that young soldiers get, similar to depression." It was like dying of homesickness. They, unlike Snow White, he said, never awakened.
He wanted to do something about it. "Like any art, it always takes a turn."
Homesickness killed people in the military in the 17th-19th centuries, according to "Nostalgia in the Army (17th-19th Centuries)" by Michèle Battesti. A physician, Johannes Hofer (1669-1752) coined the term "nostalgia," which means homesickness. Young soldiers wanted desperately to go home; fear could spiral into lack of sleep and appetite that could result in death. Nostalgia, which severely damaged the French army, was added to the official list of diseases in the late 18th century.
"Andrea has such an ability to reflect a personality," said Betsy Stirratt, founding director of the Grunwald Gallery of Art. "And his two styles are connected. For instance, in both, he works on paper, not canvas."
"The papers are all pieced together," she said, pointing to the intersections made by combining sheets of paper. "He likes to work this way because it's not as formal. And it adds texture. They have a sort of movement, an undulation as if they were coming off the wall and to him that is very important."
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The papers connect so as to form almost a grid, which helps a viewer understand the piece's space. Also, his piece-to-piece technique allows him to remove a section he ends up not liking. Look closely, and you'll see his handwriting on the works, and in some instances, parts that remain unpainted, just drawn.
Ventura's father once worked as an art director and began creating children’s books. Later Ventura dug in to this field. He attended the fine arts academy in Milan, Italy, and studied history at the university.
After eventually leaving Milan to live in New York City for some time, he now divides his time between Milan and Berlin, Germany.
While in Bloomington, he is an artist-in-residence at IU's Collins Living-Learning Center, where he teaches an Illustration class. "I like it," he said, surprise and a gargantuan smile in his voice.
If you go
WHAT: Andrea Ventura: "Vanitas," an exhibit of illustrations and paintings by Italian artist Andrea Ventura.
WHEN: Through March 8.
WHERE: Grunwald Gallery of Art, Fine Arts building, 1201 E. Seventh St., 812-855-8490.
HOW MUCH: Free.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: New exhibit explores works of IU artist-in-residence Andrea Ventura
