Marisa Mori, between Figurative and Futurist art

Curated by Monica Cardarelli

Having already dedicated exhibitions in Rome and Turin to this great female artist, and with a monographic study covering the entire corpus of her activity also currently in publication, Laocoon Gallery is proud to present in London.

Marisa Mori, a Florentine Futurist and descendant of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. She is a perfect example of the inexplicable oblivion into which supremely skilled female artists would often fall. A precocious talent, almost entirely self-taught until her arrival, in 1925, at the school of Felice Casorati in Turin.

Video

She quickly refined her innate artistic skills, and was invited to take part in exhibitions alongside her master from the outset, with art critics of the time immediately taking note, commenting on the quality of stroke, the composition and the colour, evident in works such as Via Lanfranchi, The still life Grapefruit and eggs, Marina di Massa, Study for two masks and her many self-portraits in both pastel and charcoal.

Mori’s independent spirit alongside a desire to experiment and learn led her around 1930 to approach the futurist movement. An old black and white photo portrays her proudly dressed as an aviator – in overalls, cap and glasses – sitting in the cockpit of a two-seater aerobatic plane – a flight which would inspire Mori to the creation of her bright and almost “sensual” futurist works: best represented by Mechanical Deconstruction of a crowd – she continued in this vein until the enactment of the Racial Laws, at which point she decided to distance herself from the futurist movement in protest, beginning a fourth phase of her artistic production – during which she portrayed subjects such as Florence immediately after its bombing, English soldiers whom she hosted in her large Florentine house, as well as returning to some of the subjects which had always been dear to her, creating some remarkable depictions of masks, still lifes and female portraits

Artworks

Mechanical deconstruction of the crowd

Marisa Mori, c.1933

Oil on cardboard, 81 x 110 cm
P.O.A

Via Lanfranchi

Marisa Mori, 1926

Oil on panel, 46 x 50 cm
P.O.A

verso Via Lanfranchi

Marisa Mori, 1926

Oil on panel, 46 x 50 cm
P.O.A

Reading woman

Marisa Mori, 1929-30

Oil on cardboard, 35 x 33 cm
P.O.A

Grapefruit and eggs

Marisa Mori, c.1935-40

Oil on panel, 45 x 49 cm
P.O.A

Study for two masks

Marisa Mori, 1931

Oil on panel, 58 x 44 cm
P.O.A

Marina di Massa

Marisa Mori, 1930

Oil on panel, 52 x 52 cm
P.O.A

Self portrait

Marisa Mori, 1930

Oil on panel, 44 x 51 cm
P.O.A

Luciferian self portrait

Marisa Mori, c.1926

Charcoal on pape, 50 x 33 cm
P.O.A

Luciferian self portrait

Marisa Mori, c.1926

Charcoal on pape, 50 x 36,5 cm
P.O.A

Self-portrait in a circle

Marisa Mori, 1929-30

Charcoal and pastel on paper, 48,3×34,4 cm
P.O.A

Self portrait

Marisa Mori, 1925

Charcoal on paper, 43×30,3 cm
P.O.A

Self portrait

Marisa Mori, c.1928

Charcoal on pape, 48 x 33 cm
P.O.A

Female portrait with a necklace

Marisa Mori, c.1928

48,5 x 34 cm
P.O.A

Fishermen’s nets

Marisa Mori, 1950-55

Oil on panel, 60 x 50 cm
P.O.A

Masks and guitar

Marisa Mori, 1928-29

Oil on panel, 51 x 54 cm
P.O.A

English soldier

Marisa Mori, c.1944-45

Thick pencil on paper, 35,5 x 24 cm
P.O.A

Preparatory drawing for Soldier with a helmet

Marisa Mori, c.1944-45

Pencil on paper, 33 x 24 cm
P.O.A

 Soldier with helmet

Marisa Mori, 1945

Charcoal on paper, 32.5 x 25 cm

P.O.A

Ruins of Florence

Marisa Mori, 1945

Oil on panel, 49 x 35 cm
P.O.A