Gianni Castagnoli

History

Gianni Castagnoli, italian visual artist and filmmaker (Bologna 1946-2007), in his art used poor materials (paper, cardboard, wood and putty, which he uses in his paintings to represent objects). From 1969 he exhibited paintings and installations in collective and solo exhibitions. From 1972 he obtains important acknowledgments as a cinematographic author and participates with his films (including one of the most interesting results of the Italian experimental cinema, La Nott'e 'l Giorno, 1976) at international festivals. In 1979 he published 80's monographic volume, in which he collected xerochromes (a term he coined) made with color Xerox machines. Between 1982 and 1987 he collaborated, for fashion photography, with the magazine Uomo Vogue. Among the works of the 90’ the series of the Smokers and of the Horses, the large panels in relief (Dora Maar, the triptych Van Gogh) and still lifes.

Movies

La Nott'e'l giorno
La Nott'e'l giorno
Director
First of all, the music. The music in Night and Day by Gianni Castaglioni is in the repetitive rhythm of the images, usually very rapid (with some suddenly slowed down, figements, yet with a fiery intensity). And as each shot, (brief like those of Mekas or Brakhage), moves,; as the camera moves to the nervous rhythm of a wrist, the music becomes a sort of Free Jazz — and not only visually, since the soundtrack is composed of piano frenzies à la Elton John. The extreme close-ups that sprinkle this sort of intimate journal and which are among the most admirable - as well as the most rapid - ever made in cinema, don’t float adrift like the film’s music through a hundred flowing veins.
Valentino Moon
Valentino Moon
Director
‘Castagnoli is the auteur of Valentino Moon, a little Italian gem (is it Rome, is it Venice?) : streets, people, a market, all very quickly and every three seconds (yes it’s Rome and it’s a baroque film by Bernini), a dancing ‘Pierrot’. Pachelbel’s Canon adds to the jubilation. Jouhandeau could have whispered a title to Castagnoli : ‘Life should be a celebration.’ D. Noguez.