The famous Milanese artist couple Lorenzo and Simona Perrone present Di bianco e di essenza, their first solo exhibition at Punto sull’Arte Gallery in Varese. The artists showcase a selection of sculptures with a strong visual and emotional impact, immersing the rooms of the Varese gallery in their pure universe, where the book is the protagonist. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, April 12, from 11 am to 1 pm at the main gallery of Punto sull’Arte on Viale Sant’Antonio 59/61 in Varese. Alessandra Redaelli, the curator of the exhibition, along with Lorenzo and Simona Perrone, will be present at the opening.

A book as a container of culture, history, and the past, but also as a weapon for reflection and dissent in a world overwhelmed by fierce digitalization that seems unwilling to leave space for the written word and the rustle of pages.

Collected from volumes destined for destruction, the books in the hands of the two artists become the soul of emotional sculptures where the white, textured plaster crystallizes narratives that are powerfully relevant and impossible to ignore. From war to the plight of migrants, from the search for meaning in existence to the preservation of nature, current and timeless themes, both personal and universal, emerge from their white sculptures; never shouted, but rather always suggested and alluded to, leaving the precision of form and the dialogue of materials at the center of attention.

A book enclosed within a Platonic solid, the geometric structure elaborated by the great Greek philosopher, symbolizes the search for balance in a chaotic world, but also an aesthetic joy in capturing the harmony of proportions; a small volume that beats like a pulsating heart within an immaculate open book is both the essence and root of everything, as well as an elegant geometric play that recalls the great season of Italian art in the twentieth century, from Manzoni to Castellani. Just as the skull floating on the waters of a closed book’s cover—much like many hearts are closed—serves as an allusion to deaths at sea and a reference to the vanitas of the seventeenth century.

And then, there is an open book resting vertically like a monolith, on which a tiny figure is placed in search of the roots of the past for a sense of their future; here the violence of war becomes a tattered and repeated wound, stained with blood, on the open pages; here is the barbed wire that limits and constrains pages that long to shout their words, and also words that collapse helplessly at the base of the book, gathering in piles of letters now no longer legible. It is a reinterpretation of the world and its contradictions that, however, never closes off the hope for redemption, that of the tree springing forth virgin from the pages of a book, or that of the staircase leading us up into a volume where we may find answers or, at least, be granted the chance to dream.

The artists and curator Alessandra Redaelli will be present at the opening reception open to the public, which will take place on Saturday, April 12, from 11 am to 1 pm at the main gallery on Viale Sant’Antonio 59/61 in Varese. The Gallery will remain regularly open from 2 pm to 5 pm. The exhibition will be on display until May 31, 2025.

Lorenzo and Simona Perrone have been dedicated to the development of LibriBianchi for over twenty years, a work of art that expresses their personal artistic exploration. Their goal is to deeply explore the world of books, firmly asserting the connection between books and culture as synonymous with civilization. Their language involves the use of real books, which they alter with glue, plaster, and water, adding foreign materials such as barbed wire, glass, stones, wood, and white paint. In this way, Simona and Lorenzo Perrone effect a transformation of perception: the book, transformed into a sculpture, becomes something archetypal, a symbol of culture and knowledge. The themes addressed by the two Milanese artists, due to their social charge, connect to artivism. Lorenzo Perrone was born in Milan in 1944 and developed a great passion for publishing and painting from a young age. He attended painting courses at the Castello Sforzesco and the Scuola del Libro dell'Umanitaria. His professional career began in the field of graphic design and communication, and for about forty years he lived between Milan, London, and New York. Since the 2000s, Lorenzo Perrone has dedicated himself exclusively to sculpture.

Simona Vanzetto was born in Florence in 1958 and completed her studies there. Her professional career began in Paris, where she expressed herself through costume design, fashion, and photography. In the 1990s, she returned to Italy, where she opened a small creative studio in Tuscany. Passionate about art, she met Lorenzo Perrone in 2006, and a deep partnership in life and artistic research developed between them, leading to the creation of the LibriBianchi project. Throughout their careers, they have exhibited in numerous galleries in Italy and abroad and have participated in various industry fairs. In 2024, they took part in the historic group exhibition at Punto sull’Arte <20 15x15/20x20, where they immediately received widespread appreciation. They live and work in Milan (IT).