Private view: 15th July, 6-8pm (BST)
Exhibition: 16th July –21st August, 2021
Gazelli Art House presents Giovanni Ozzola’s ‘Contando Estrellas’ [Counting Stars], a solo exhibition by the multidisciplinary artist. Ozzola poetically weaves together different mediums; a window installation, a never-seen before film and a curated selection of archival photographs which centre on the theme of the skull; exploring the mind’s desires, the interplay between internal and external worlds, of light and darkness. As Gazelli Art House London celebrates its tenth year anniversary the exhibition serves to commemorate the long-standing relationship between the artist and the gallery.
Ozzola’s latest film Addio, (2021) will premiere at the exhibition providing the thematic pillar for the show. In a nod to memento mori the looped film echoes the circle of life, during the four minute piece a light fitting in a hallway fades while its accompanying sound floods the gallery with electric energy. Positioned in a prominent place over the gallery’s main staircase Ozzola conveys the idea that there are certain moments in life for which that one pays attention, moments that ignite the mind’s desires and stay in our memories.
Ozzola’s personal memories are introduced with archival dark room slides from 1999 to today capturing the key themes explored over the course of his career. Ozzola’s unique works autoritratto, (1999) and la mia mano, (1999) taken from his first series, are autobiographical and show an unedited moment in the artist’s life when he was provided with discounted old film from a friendly corner shop owner which imbued the works with a unique blue hue and were shot on a low quality camera in line with someone setting out on their career- there is perception but not yet a clarity of vision.
A further collection of photos of light drenched windows will be included in the show, the traditional techniques used to create them removes the potential for filtered or reconstructed interpretations of the specific memories in which the photos were captured, presenting an authentic moment in history.
A unique installation of one of the artist’s signature sunset deserted bunker series will wrap the windows on the facade of the gallery to reiterate the theme of the show. Ozzola’s derelict structures which pepper the Ozzola’s Tenerifian landscape provide a canvas for his opus exploring the tension of light and darkness, challenging society’s racism depicted through the addition of pointed messages written in graffiti.
©2021 Gazelli Art House, Giovanni Ozzola
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