Antichità Alberto Di Castro is a gallery with an enduring history spanning almost 150 years. Each of the five generations brought an element of innovation and personal taste. Whether it was my great grandfather Alberto specializing decorative arts, my grandfather Franco who, in post-war Europe, embarked on extraordinary travels to acquire the finest paintings and works of art, or my father Alberto, who developed a taste for colored marbles and museum-quality objects, growing the gallery in the international realm through the very first international fairs.
Recently, we embarked on a journey to expand the Di Castro taste towards modern and contemporary art, with a solo exhibition on Corrado Cagli, shedding light on his post-war productions, and with Time Future, a group show that presented new, unexpected works by contemporary artists inspired or reacting to the past and the gallery’s collection. In both cases, the works embraced each other in a perfect orchestra that saw no barriers between the ages.
This exhibition marks a groundbreaking moment in our history. For the first time, we present the work of a historicized contemporary artist and luminary of the avant-garde Japanese Gutai movement. The striking work of Shozo Shimamoto (1928 -2013) disrupts this orchestra, completely breaking with the past and aiming to create art never seen before.
Some of Shimamoto's most iconic performances involved the crashing of bottles filled with paint on canvas. With dramatic gestures, he hurled the paint-filled bottles toward the canvas, releasing explosive bursts of color that splattered across the surface, creating spontaneous and unpredictable patterns. The act of throwing the bottles was performed in front of an audience, making it a spectacle that engaged viewers both visually and emotionally; emphasizing freedom of expression and the breaking of conventions.
If our previous generations had encountered Shimamoto, an extraordinary conversation would have sparked.
Denise Di Castro
Shozo Shimamoto. Beyond Gutai 7-31 May 2023 Co-hosted by Alberto Di Castro and Artvisor Curated by Denise Di Castro and Piero Tomassoni
Image: Shimamoto’s live performance at the 2nd Gutai Exhibition, Ohara Kaikan, Tokyo, October 1956 (c) Osaka City Museum of Modern Art
