The paintings selected for The Curators are part of the series "Surfisti . Cacciatori di orizzonti " (Surfers . Hunters of horizons) solo exhibition by Michele Redaelli held between August and September 2023 at the Sala del San Leone in collaboration with the municipality of Pietrasanta (Lucca) Italy.


I tried to approach the surfing theme in a barely hinted way, dwelling more on the poetic, romantic and contemplative aspect of this discipline. To big waves and scenes related to technical sports performance, I preferred dreamlike situations. I began a deep research on color and abstraction to create backgrounds in which the images could merge or rest gently, letting my more graphic and illustrative vein coexist with this new expressive need. I have studied and explored the work of some of my favorite painters of the 20th century including certainly Milton Avery, Mark Chagall, Mark Rothko , Philip Guston, Helen Frankentaler and contemporaries Katherine Bradford and Peter Doig.

The title “Hunters of Horizons” comes from my personal experience. I often find myself in the water sitting on the board in line up, at magical times like sunrise or sunset. At those times, if the sea conditions allow (if the waves are not too big or there is not too much current, cases where you have to fight excitedly for survival) you can admire the horizon line with incredible colors.

You feel part of something. This is the feeling I always look for and wanted to try to convey.

FEATURED ARTISTS

1 3