The Municipality of Sorrento and the Sorrento Foundation present the exhibition «Francis Bacon. Transformations »(The Barry Joule Collection of Francis Bacon artworks from 7 Reece Mews, London S.W.7 U.K.), to be held from May 20 (May 19 preview by invitation) to October 21 at Villa Fiorentino.
The idea of this exhibition that arises from the meeting in Paris in 2015 between the working group of the Artstudiopaparo editions, promoters of the exhibition, and Barry Joule, wants to satisfy two ambitions: a personal and affective one, referable to Joule, who realizes his desire to exhibit, after exactly 30 years from the only stay of Francis Bacon in southern Italy, the artist’s works in those lands of the south that so fascinated him; the other, however, of a strictly scientific nature, attributable to the interest that will arouse the designs and sketches of Bacon, known as one of the world-famous artists to date most quoted on the international market.
The works on display, donated by the artist to Barry Joule, a friend and associate of Francis Bacon, whom he defined as “not only a close friend, but also a teacher of art history and a wonderful teacher; an eclectic philosopher of life “, will consist of rectoverso drawings, a group of paintings from the Surrealist period (thirties) as well as several documents collected over time by the collector.
The collection of the works, donated by Bacon shortly before his last trip to Madrid, in 2004 was partly donated to the Tate Gallery in London, for which some of the works will be in the catalog, and to the Picasso museum in Paris as well as the National Gallery in Ottawa, Canada, a native of Joule.
The exhibit that is touring and has already been hosted in China (2013 and 2016) and in France (2015 and 2016), will give light to about 100 works and will be held in the historic Villa which is one of the most interesting places in the city and which is an emblem of the creativity and soul of the Sorrento people.
The same is in fact today the headquarters of the Sorrento Foundation, whose president is Gianluigi Aponte and whose managing director is the lawyer Gaetano Milano who, together with the institutional support of the Municipality and the Mayor Giuseppe Cuomo, carry out an invaluable work to support the territory and culture in the city.
The exhibition will be open every day at the following times:
from monday to friday 10/1 p.m. – 4/8 p.m. Sat. and dom. 10/13 – 16/21
Full ticket € 10.00 – reduced € 7.00 (under 16 – over 65 and groups)