Sculptural

MARIO CEROLI (b. 1938) Italy

“Cavallino” 2004

Brown bottle glass in the shape of a horse with wood composition and framing

Signed: Ceroli

H: 21” x W: 21” x D: 2 3/4″

Price: $30,000

Mario Ceroli has been universally acclaimed at the age of 27, when he was awarded in 1966 wih the Sculpture Prize at the Venice Biennale for his wooden «Cassa Sistina» (a tribute to the Sixtine Chapel). Ceroli has realised important works for several prestigious institutions (such as the equestrian sculpture for the RAI, which has become the national broadcasting channel trademark; the central square, the Church and the theater in Porto Rotondo; a monumental sculpture in FIumicino Airport Rome…), prominent collectors (Agnelli and Barilla among the others), and he has been responsible for the conception of the stage sets of world renowned theaters such as la Fenice-Venice, La Scala-Milan, the Bolchoi-Moscow, the Arenas of Verona and the Opera of Rome in the last thirty years. Since the 1960’s Ceroli’s work has made its mark by using natural wood in particular Russian pinewood, that he assembles with a variety of materials; burnt wood, lead glass, in line with the philosophy of the Arte Povera. In the 1960’s while the artists of Pop Art were reinterpreting the daily life images, Mario Ceroli paid homage to the great classics of the history of art ( Homage to Leonardo da Vinci, Sixtine Chapel, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Andrea Mantegna) and reinterpreted his contemporaries like Giorgio De Chirico. The term Arte Povera was used for the first time in September 1967, one year after Mario Ceroli received his prize at the Venice Biennale. One can find nevertheless, the roots of the principal aspects of this movement during the group show that took place at la Tartaruga gallery in Rome in 1965 that included Ceroli, Boetti, Pascali and other artists then all renamed as poveristi.

PER SAX MØLLER  (b. 1950) Denmark

Round sculptural centerpiece with geometrical shapes   2000

Sterling silver

Marks: PER SAX MØLLER, Copenhagen, 925s, Sterling

Exhibited: Danske Sølsmede-nye arbejder (Danish silversmiths-new work), Museet på Koldingshus, 2002.

Diameter: 8 ¼”

Price: $12,500

The silversmith Per Sax Møller was trained in the Danish silver tradition with Jeweler to the Royal Danish Court, A. Michelsen, from 1968-1972. The workshop specialized in style copies and modern silver, which during the 1900’s was designed by architects such as Thorvald Bindesbøll, Kay Fisker, Erik Herløw, Tove and Edvard Kint-Larsen, among many others.

After completing his apprenticeship, he worked at Preben Salomonsen’s workshop in Copenhagen, mainly creating style copies for stores such as Tiffany, Bloomingdale’s and Aspery. Here, the ancient silversmith’s craft he had learned at A. Michelsen, was further honed. During the years 1973-1975, he attended classes at Guldsmedehøjskolen, but he was disappointed in the low standard of teaching and therefore did not graduate.
He found the opportunity for a far richer artistic education as a conscientious objector, stationed at the art museum Louisiana in Humlebæk, outside Copenhagen. He spent more than a year here, surrounded by the works of Henry Moore, Arp, Calder, Laurent and Danish artists such as Astrid Noack, Ejler Bille, Sonja Ferlov Mancoba, Villy Ørskov and many more, which left a deep and profound mark.

In 1976, Per Sax Møller established himself in a workshop alongside goldsmith Jørgen Bindesbøll, in St. Kongensgade in Copenhagen. Over the next couple af years, he also joined the association “Danske Sølvsmede” in exhibitions throughout Scandivavia. He retired from the workshop with Jørgen Bindesbøll in 1980, but continued to create works in rented space. To help earn a living, he drove a city bus and worked for Folketeateret in Copenhagen, creating theatre sets.

Jørgen Bindesbøll moved to Møn in 1984, and Per Sax Møller took over his workshop in St. Kongensgade. Soon thereafter, he established himself in a workshop in Pilestræde, Copenhagen, and then in 1992, he took over silversmith Kay Bojesen’s workshop in Bredgade 47, where he resides today.
In the mid 1990’s Per Sax Møller rejoins “Danske Sølvsmede”, and in 1999 he succeeds silversmith Ib Andersen as president of the association. As president, he revitalizes Danish silver by initiating the exhibition Danish Silver 2000, which takes up most of the space in the museum Koldinghus and becomes one of the largest manifestations of Danish silver. During one summer month, the exhibition was visited by 30,000 guests.

In 2002, Per Sax Møller resigns the presidency of “Danske Sølvsmede” to once again concentrate on his own works. Per Sax Møller has received Danish State Arts Foundation grant in 1979, 1997, 2000 and 2002. His works are represented at Oslo Museum of Art and Design, Danish Museum of Art and Design, at the museum Koldinghus and in private collections in Europe, USA and Canada.