Italian artist Antonio Signorini exhibits Movement, – his first solo exhibition in Dubai at Oblong Contemporary Gallery that will run from the 9th of February till the 31st of March 2022. His remarkable nine-year artistic practice has taken him on a quest to understand ancient cave art and translate the archetypal human journey into dynamic three-dimensional sculptures.
Having received a local residency in the UAE, Signorini splits his time between a bustling foundry in Florence and his art-filled flat located in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. His solo exhibition at Oblong Contemporary will mark the first-time figures from “The Warriors” and “The Dancers” series. This melodious interaction in one space brings about a perfect balance of masculine and feminine energy. A yin and yang perfection.
To me, this a big thing. From the beginning, I’ve always imagined presenting them as one complete artwork, but I’ve never shown them together until now.
Antonio Signorini
In addition to exhibiting rare paintings by Signorini, Movement will also include experimental new additions from the landmark “Flying Horses” series. In every culture the horse symbolizes a distinct form of unparalleled power—from wealth and freedom in Native American lore to the animal embodiment of grace and elegance in ancient Arabian civilization.
The “Flying Horses” appearing at Oblong Contemporary introduce a bespoke new white patina—a mixture of ceramic paint and marble powder—which has been added to the bronze.
The ceramic paint is also used for aircrafts and supercars. It absorbs into the pores of the bronze and seals them. The sculptures are not only a perfect white, but they are beautifully smooth to touch.
Antonio Signorini
These horses are not shackled to traditional gallery plinths but instead appear to float over a stainless-steel pedestal, as though mid-gallop across the ever- shifting sand dunes that lie in wait just beyond Dubai’s dazzling urban sprawl.
About the Artist
Signorini grew up in Tuscany, an area famous for art and culture and close to Pietrasanta. He remembers, “As a kid, I would stand on our apartment balcony and look across at the mountains and ask my mom why I could see snow on them even in summer. Eventually, I learned that the snow was actually marble.” He yearned to sculpt from that moment and waited for his opportunity. Following a successful career in the fashion world, Signorini ultimately followed his heart and forged his own artistic practice. He is drawn to create three- dimensional figures in bronze, and each of his unique, structurally complex pieces can weigh upwards of 78 kilos. “I’ve never been the kind of artist who has to meditate in the desert to find my inspiration,” he admits. He gets his ideas by working, making mistakes, experimenting, and traveling.
While in Gibraltar to see the beautiful underwater caves, Signorni read a newspaper article about the newly discovered Saruq Al Hadid archaeological site and Museum in Dubai and immediately planned a visit. He expected to encounter a glitzy and impersonal stopover metropolis, but instead was instantly deeply fascinated by the desert environment and the country’s history. “For a year, I was only with the people studying the artifacts, the desert sights, the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah,” he recalls.
He was honored when soon after, several sculptures from “The Warriors” series were acquired by Dubai International Financial Centre and permanently installed as outdoor public art for all who work, live, and play in the visionary neighborhood to encounter. Each of Signorini’s “Warriors” crouch, leap, or lunge with the soulful momentum that is at the root of the artist’s practice. He says, “Life is movement. The Earth turns at a constant speed of 1,670 km/h. Nothing, not even a statue, is static. Those figures don’t stop. They are not fighting, but actually journeying onwards to face down issues that lie in wait just ahead.”
Exhibition Details
Exhibition: Movement by Antonio Signorini
Dates: 9th February – 31st March 2022
Location: Oblong Contemporary Gallery, BlueWaters Island, Dubai
Timings: 10am – 10pm, everyday
