‹ › ×
    HOME
    • EXHIBITIONS
    • SCULPTURE
    • TABLE SCULPTURE
    • PAINTING
    • DRAWING
    • BIOGRAPHY
    • CONTACT

    Français               English

    BIOGRAPHY

     

    Alessandro Montalbano was born in Catania, Sicily, in 1962. He studied at the Fine Arts School in Florence where he received a solid education in painting and sculpture. Painting was its first vocation : a very expressionistic painting, frank colors, strong graphics and a free gesture. But the necessity of the volume and the material is going to incite him to give some explanation through the sculpture.

     

    He arrived in Paris at the end of the eightie’s and then started his real experience of sculptor after re-examining the materials and techniques used at the Fine Arts School such as clay, plaster and marble. At this time, his perspectives became ever more complex : assemblages of plaster, metal and wood. In this work a very considerable part is left to voids, as it is indeed these voids which create the form just as much as the filled spaces. In 1994, one of his assemblages was awarded the Princess Grace Foundation’s Prize in Monaco, where he took part at the invitation of César who appreciated his work.

    Fine Arts School, Florence 1987

    In 1994, Montalbano creates a bronze horse of two meters for an exhibition in Deauville. It is from this moment that he started his collaboration with the Susse foundry who had awarded one of his piece "Rearing horse" in 1991 and placed it alongside pieces by Giacometti, Richier, Zadkine... His first sculpture made of welded bronze was a monumental one "Et le septième jour..." ("And the seventh day..."), which will be acquired one year later, in 1995, by the Principality of Monaco, placing it in the Open air Museum with other pieces by Arman, Calder, César... This work is endowed with a very big strength : the horse is almost vertically reared, pushed by a powerful vital force ; its body is a mess of bronze pieces, not polished nor chiselled, a rough and raw aspect, extraordinarily assembled. In this work, the tension is for its height, tension inherent to the incredible strength which gets free of this horse but also due to the aggressiveness of the pieces and the bronze stalks.

    The title "And the seventh day..." is an obvious reference to the Genesis, but here, it is especially about the creation, about the birth of the expression, about the plastic language of the artist.

    "Maternity" Susse foundry, Arcueil 1996

    Photo : Boris ABAZA

    For over 30 years, Montalbano has exhibited his work all around Europe and the United States in internationals fairs and exhibitions such as Arco in Madrid, Art Frankfurt, Art Brussels, Art Paris, Lineart Gent... During the summer 2002, he is chosen to represent Italy with a monumental sculpture "Le Voyageur des Sens", on the occasion of a european exhibition “Europa in beeld” in The Hague, Holland, with Manolo Valdes, Barry Flanagan, Maillol, Penck... In september 2003, the Espace Carpeaux in Courbevoie has organized the exhibition “Alessandro Montalbano 1983 - 2003 : 20 years of creation”. He has taken part in the 3rd International Sculpture Festival of Monte-Carlo during summer 2004 with the monumental "Maternity", among Arp, Gargallo, Haring, Lipchitz, de Saint-Phalle... In 2010, the Hospice Saint-Charles (Yvelines) welcomes the personal exhibition “Le sujet s’envole, le rythme reste”. From april to august 2015, the Hotel Dieu/Musée Greuze in Tournus (Burgundy), presents "De Genèse à Naissance" where Montalbano's contemporary work stage by the curator Mylène Grand, have a dialogue with the beauty and history of the place. In 2018, the City of Issoire presented his paintings and sculptures in the vast Jean-Hélion Halls, and the City of Cluny dedicated the Grande exposition d'été to him at the Ecuries St Hugues. In 2019, he invested the Galerie Haute de l'Embarcadère in Montceau-les-Mines with the exhibition “Les Interprètes”... Throughout the summer of 2022, nine of his monumental sculptures have been installed in the forecourt of the Portail des Jacobins in Carcassonne.

     

    Since 2013, after 25 years of parisian life, Alessandro Montlabano moved to the South of Burgundy where he lives and works.

    Studio in Burgundy - 2019
    Studio in Burgundy - 2020
    Burgundy 2022
    Studio rue du Javelot, Paris - 2002
    The Amazone Susse Foundry, Arcueil 2012
    Studio rue du Javelot, Paris - 2006
    Gaia Susse Foundry, Arcueil 2005
    The Amazone Susse Foundry, Arcueil 2012
    Creation of a wax sculpture
    The Amazone Susse Foundry, Arcueil 2012
    Towards the sun... In progress, Paris - 2012
    Creation of a wax sculpture
    Towards the sun... In progress, Paris - 2012
    Studio in South Burgundy - 2016
    Studio in Burgundy - 2020

    MAIN AWARDS

     

    1994    Princess Grace's Foundation Prize, invited by César, Monaco 

    1991    Susse Frères Fondeurs Prize, Paris

     

    PUBLIC COLLECTION

     

    2019    La Maison du Charolais - Département de Saône-et-Loire

    2019    City of Montceau-les-Mines

    1999    City of Drancy

    1995    Monumental sculpture, Principality of Monaco, Open Air Museum, Terrasses de Fontvieille

     

    MAIN EXHIBITIONS (*Solo exhibition)

     

    2023   Parcours ART IN SITU // Sur la Route des Grands Crus, Beaune (21) 

    2022   Parcours ART IN SITU // Sur la Route des Grands Crus, Beaune (21)

      *Monumentals sculpture exhibition, City of Carcassonne (11)

       Sculptures in the Jardins des Soussilanges, Céron (71)   

       "Crée ici" - Ecuries Saint Hugues, Cluny (71)

       Concours Ateliers d'Art de France, Regional Laureate 2022, Moirans-en-Montagne (39)

    2021     Monumental sculpture exhibition at the Jardins des Soussilanges, Céron (71)   

      10th Contemporary Art Bienniale, Marcigny (71)

    2020    Exhibitions cancelled because of sanitary crisis

    2019    *Mon voisin le Charolais - Les 20 ans de La Maison du Charolais, Charolles (71)  

        *Les Interpètes - Galerie de l'Embarcadère, Montceau-les-Mines (71)

        *Vers le Soleil - Galerie Mary-Ann, Mâcon (71)

                 Galerie Izart, Pont-Aven (29) 

    2018    Lyon Art Paper - Palais de Bondy, Lyon

        Art Protects - Librairie Yvon Lambert, Paris

        *Indomptable - Ecuries de St Hugues, Cluny (71)

        *Salles Jean-Hélion - Centre culturel Nicolas Pomel, Issoire (63)

        *Musée Jean Larcena, Saint-Aubin-Chateau-Neuf (89)

        ArtFareins - Biennale de sculpture, Fareins (01)

        *Art + Objets, Chapaize (71)

                Art Galerie, Jonzac (17)

                Galerie Izart, Pont-Aven (29)

    2017    Art + Objets, Chapaize

        Passage des Arts : Regards croisés - Galerie de Buci, Paris

                Art Galerie, Jonzac

                Galerie Izart, Pont-Aven

    2016    *Trait d'union - Galerie de Buci, Paris

        Art Protects - Espace Fondation EDF, Paris

                Art Galerie, Jonzac

                *Cloître des Carmes, Jonzac 

                Galerie Izart, Pont-Aven

                Galerie de Buci, Paris

                Salon Art contemporain et Antiquités, Champs Elysées, Paris

    2015    *Trait sensible - Galerie Mary-Ann, Mâcon

                *De Genèse à Naissances - Hôtel Dieu/Musée Greuze, Tournus.

         Curator : Mylène Grand

                *Intérieurs - Chapelle Sainte-Avoye, La Clayette (71)

    2014    Art Protects - Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris

                *Fièvre rose - Espace Ricard, Dijon

                Anges et démons - La Serrurerie, Beaune

                Contemporary Art Bienniale - Guest of Honor 2014, Marcigny (71)

                *Château de Chassagne-Montrachet (21)

                Le cheval sans restriction - Haras National de Cluny 

                Jardin de Sculptures - Maison d’Art - Collection Rex, Marcigny (71)  

                *La cadence des formes - Galerie Atelier des Arts, Tournus

                A vos papiers ! - Galerie Zonzon, Brest

                Galerie Atelier des Arts, Tournus

    2013    Art Protects - Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris 

                Galerie Univers du Bronze, Paris

                Galerie Hofburg, Bressanone, Italy

                Galerie Zonzon, Brest, France

                Lagalery, Eze, France

    2012    *Galerie Zonzon, Brest, 

                Lagalery, Eze, France

    2011   Galerie Zonzon, Brest, France

                Art Protects - Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris,

                Zomer in Haarlem - Galerie Année, The Netherlands

                Galerie Schortgen, Luxembourg

                Lagalery, Eze, France

               *La série Apologies - Société Générale, Bourges

                Galerie Année, Haarlem, The Netherlands

     2010  *Galerie Année, Haarlem, The Netherlands

               *Le sujet s’envole, le rythme reste

                Hospice Saint-Charles, Rosny-sur-Seine, France

                New Talents, Art Gallery 826

        Knokke-le-Zoute, Belgium

                Affordable Art Fair - Art Gallery 826 - Paris

                Lille Art Fair - Art Gallery 826 - Lille, France

                Art Gallery 826, Knokke-le-Zoute, Belgium

    2009   Art Protects - Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris,

                Galerie Anagama, Versailles, France

    2008    Lille Art Fair - Galerie Dir’Arte, Lille, France

                *Galerie Pascal Lorain, Paris, France

                Arte Parma - Galerie Dir'Arte, Parma, Italy

                Lagalery, Saint Paul de Vence, France

                Bergamo Arte Fiera - Galerie Dir’Arte, Bergamo, Italy

    2007    St-Art - Galerie Dir’Arte, Strasbourg, France

                Crid’Art, Amnéville-les-Thermes, France

                ArtVerona - Galerie Dir'Arte, Verona, Italy

                Arte Parma - Galerie Dir'Arte, Parma, Italy

                Lagalery, Saint Paul de Vence, France

                Arte Genova - Galerie Dir'Arte, Genova, Italy

                Galerie Dir'Arte, Modica (RG), Italy

    2006   *Diversion - Château-Mairie, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, France

                Galerie Jean-Charles Billy, Honfleur, France

                *Entre ciel et terre... - Banque du Gothard, Monaco

    2005    Galerie Goncourt, The Hague, The Netherlands

                *Galerie Goncourt, The Hage, The Netherlands

    2004    IIIrd International Sculpture Festival of Monte-Carlo, Monaco

        Curator :  Solange Auzias de Turenne

    2003    *Alessandro Montalbano 1983 - 2003 : 20 years of creation

        Espace Carpeaux, Courbevoie, France

                VIth Internationale Etching Bienniale, Acqui Terme, Italy

                *Opere parigine - Ponte San Marco di Calcinato, Brescia, Italy

                *La Galerie d’Art, ADP Orly Ouest, France

    2002    Europa in Beeld, with Flanagan, Penck, Valdès... The Hague, The Netherlands

                Galeria Arteko, San Sebastian, Spain

    2001    *Lineart Gent, Galerie Paule de Boeck, Belgium

                6th European Sculpture Bienniale, Jardin des Plantes, Paris

                Art Bruxels, Galerie Krokin Moscow (formerly Novaya Coll.) Belgium

                ARCO, Galerie Krokin Moscow (formerly Novaya Coll.) Madrid, Spain

    2000    21 Sculpteurs ouvrent le 21ème siècle - Ste Geneviève-des-Bois

                Triennale Internazionale d’Arte Sacra - Celano, Italy

                Art Paris, Galerie Krokin Moscow (formerly Novaya Coll.)

    1999    *Galerie Année, Haarlem, The Netherlands

                5th European Sculpture Bienniale, Jardin des Plantes, Paris

                Galerie Daniel Besseiche, Courchevel

    1998    Galerie Daniel Besseiche, Deauville

                Galerie Pascal Lansberg, Paris

    1997    Internationale Kunstausstellung, Zug, Switzerland

                ARCO, Galerie Krokin Moscow, (formerly Neo Shag Gallery) Madrid, Spain

                Art Frankfurt, Galerie Krokin Moscow, Germany

                Galerie Année, Haarlem, The Netherlands

    1996    *Italian Cultural Institute, Madrid, Spain

                Salon d’Angers, Angers

    1995    Salon de Montrouge, Paris

                De l’Arte Povera au Post-Moderne, curator F. de Santi - Vasto, Italie

    1994    Horse Expo Lancel - Deauville

    1993    Le Rendez-vous du Monde - Tour Eiffel, Paris

    1992    Vision d’Europe - Tour Eiffel, Paris

    1991    Bronze Passion - Ville d’Avray

        Salon d’Automne, Grand Palais, Paris

    1990    Imaginer la Tour Eiffel, avec César, Tinguely...,Tour Eiffel

     

               

    Copyright Alessandro MONTALBANO  ADAGP 2023 - All rights reserved

    www.alessandro-montalbano.com