Montoro12 Contemporary Art, Rome
Emmanuele De Ruvo (b. 1983, Naples, Italy) creates art works characterized by his constant search for equilibrium in a world that is so clearly off balance. He investigates theories of Galileo Galilei, Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton in order to build his “precariously balanced” sculptures. The perfect equilibrium or balance, while not belonging to this world, represents its greater aspiration and is the only functionalist means in reaching the limit. The most important thing is not the destination, but the journey itself, the only source of knowledge and learning and fuel for spiritual growth.
De Ruvo works with a great variety of material, including precious marble, magnets, metals, wood, paper and readymade objects. Traction, magnetism and compression are never utilized just for their own sake, but are always part of an artistic reflection that invites the viewer to contemplate both worlds, the physical as well as the metaphysical. They pose questions rather than give answers, but the quest for equilibrium is manifested in all his projects.
Emmanuele De Ruvo graduated from the Fine Arts Academy in Naples magna cum laude. His works have entered the most important collections in Europe among them the MUSMA Museum, Matera, the San Gennaro Foundation, the Irene Brin Foundation, Bordighera, as well as many private collections. In 2011 he has been selected as one of the best young artists who graduated between 2000 and 2010 from Italian Art Academies to participate at the 54th Venice Biennale. In 2012 he won the International Prize of Sculpture Mastroianni and exhibited his works in a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Sculpture in Matera. In 2016 he participated in a two-artist exhibition at the KunstVoll, Neu-Isenburg, Germany. Among his most notable exhibitions are: ‘Degrees of Freedom’ at Montoro12 Contemporary Art, Rome (2016); ‘La Scultura dopo il Duemila. Idolatria and Iconoclastia’ at the Frac Museum, Baronissi (2015); ‘Eruption Napoli/New York’ at White Box Gallery, New York (2010); ‘Equilibri Precari’ exhibited at Milk and Lead Gallery, London (2010).
Faig Ahmed (1982, Sumqayit, Azerbaijan) works in a great variety of media (installation, video, sculpture etc.), but he is best known for his innovative carpet works that deconstruct, pull, liquefy, pixelate or otherwise alter traditional patterns of Caucasian, Persian, Turkish or Indian carpets. While deeply rooted in the cultural traditions of Azerbaijan, the artist is constantly pushing bounderies and going beyond restrictions in search of greater personal and cultural freedom. His dramatic innovations in the traditional craft of carpet-making lies in his digitally created designs, while the execution remains unchanged: the unique works are handmade with natural color wool by the weavers of his workshop outside of Baku.
Faig Ahmed represented Azerbaijan in the nation’s inaugural pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2007 and participated in the show “Love Me, Love Me Not” in 2013. He has exhibited his works worldwide, both in group and solo exhibitions in Rome, New York, Paris, London, Berlin, Dubai, Moscow and the UAE. In 2013, the artist was nominated for the Jameel Prize 3 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. His works are in public collections including the Los Angeles County Museum, the Seattle Art Museum and the Bargoin Museum in Clermont Ferrand and in private collections such as Galila’s Collection, Brussels, West Collection, Philadelphia, the collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody, New York City, Ranza Collection, Rome, Jameel Foundation, London and H.H. Sh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, UAE. Ahmed’s recent museum exhibitions include the Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome (solo exhibition), the Museum of Fine Art Boston, the Bellevue Art Museum, the St. Louis Art Museum, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Moca Cleveland, the Bargoin Museum Clermont Ferrand and many more. His solo exhibition “Equation” at Textile Museum of Sweden is opening on May 6th. Faig Ahmed was one of the speakers at the New York Times conference “Art for Tomorrow” in Doha, Qatar, last March.
