Artist Statement – Adriano Gemelli
Adriano Gemelli is known for reflective hologram combined with diverse materials. His latest work “Flat sculptures for those that don’t have the room’ are cut geometric and organic forms.
Gemelli rejects categorization of his work, stating “At best can be confusing for the viewer, at worst a misconception. My work is autobiographical, from figurative to abstraction and beyond, with whatever materials to achieve what I wish to project in a particular series”.
Gemelli’s work capitalizes on the dimensional and spectral change of reflective hologram. 1998 he was granted a patent in the method of achieving control over holographic foil. Through a large varied series of his work Gemelli has shown the dynamic range possible in pictorial space.
The overall importance to visual art is his control of a 2D substrate with a 3D medium which exhibits the changes in composition, colour, vibrancy, luminosity and form, within the context of the effects of light and colour, form and composition he constantly experiments and explores many disciplines – Sculpture, drawing, design and concepts.
“To discover I must constantly have a concept clearance, where style and technique change, usual at the completion of a series. Beginning with a new topic or series, a new set of parameters demands a fresh approach of itself creates new techniques to achieve the direction I wish to take to understand the substance/concept of the particular series. This approach awakens me to areas of my being I’ve not known before – or have known but not in depth – to see it afresh.”
Gemelli began his career living and studying at the Dunmoochin art colony and spent seven years there cutting his artist teeth during the seventies. He produced prints for Cliff Pugh and worked on his own paintings while absorbing the influences of some of Australia’s best artists such as Fred Williams, John Olsen, Frank Werther, John Perceval and Frank Hodgkinson who also frequented the colony.
He left Dunmoochin for Europe where he studied various artists & art techniques, then returned to Australia to pursue his painting career with many solo and group exhibitions. Gemelli’s sculptural works began to gain prominence and in 1981 he was invited to produce a work for the First Australian Triennial Sculpture show at Latrobe University. In 1983 he created a large-scale mosaic wall at the Glendonald School for deaf children. Measuring 18m x 6m the mosaic wall was constructed of mirror, various types of glass, acrylic and metals.
In 1984 he was appointed Art Coordinator – Consultant to Victoria’s 150th Celebrations in conjunction with the Ministry for the Arts, Victoria and began to take up various teaching and lecturing positions. In 1992 he was invited to exhibit in a group exhibition “Ruebens and the Italian Renaissance” at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Adriano Gemelli is currently Director of Kelly & Gemelli – Art & Design in San Remo, Victoria, which he designed and established in 2012.