Preview: El Gato Chimney – Preternatural History

The solo show Preternatural History by Italian artist El Gato Chimney, presented by Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea in Milan, curator Michela D’Acquisto, opens on November 26th, 2015 and features large-format watercolors, works on canvas and a site-specific installation.

The exhibition connects us to the moment of the ascending popularity of the press, which allowed sharing knowledge beyond the aristocratic groups through the purchase of books showing collections of wonders, natural and otherwise, often complemented by engravings and watercolor tables. The most prolific creator of such volumes is the Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi, who in his “microcosm”, a precursor natural history museum, includes an opera omnia containing thousands of watercolors depicting not only animals and plants, but also fantastic creatures. Later, Austrian Aloys Zötl illustrates a veritable made up bestiary, uncovered by Breton as an extraordinary example of Surrealist aesthetics.

El Gato Chimney finds inspiration in the interest for science and especially in the passion for all that creates wonder, building his own universe filled with symbols and populated by fictional and hybrid beings, each carrying its enigmatic story or burden. The works explore subjects that are part of the artist’s constant research – primitive and sacred art, esoterism and spiritualism, folklore, magical realism in literature.

‘Chi cerca trova’, 70x100cm, mix media on cotton paper, 2015

‘In ogni dove’, 70x100cm, mix media on cotton paper, 2015

‘Lunghi silenzi’, 50x71cm, mix media on cotton paper, 2015

‘Prospettive’, 100x71cm, mix media on cotton paper, 2015

‘Memorie sovrapposte’, 100x140cm, mix media on cotton paper, 2015

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