I am pleased to present the forthcoming
exhibition of Lucatello’s work but I do not intend here to provide
an introduction to the man himself. My reasons for this are twofold.
Firstly, all exhibitions presentations have an air of the lecture
about them which is imposed on the viewer who is tacitly encouraged
to assume the perspective and judgement of the presenter. Secondly,
Lucatello, while young is nevertheless extremely gifted and has already
proved himself to such an extent that he has no need for laudators.
I have to say that most of the art work categorized as painting today
is rarely worthy of the term. Indeed we might ask if there is anything
even minimally “pictorial” about them? Do they display the
talent of an artist’s hand? Is there any truth to them? When
visiting an exhibition or turning the pages of an art magazine we
might be forgiven for assuming that much of what passes for art is
a bogus imitation or rather nothing more than cultural convention
and cliché which robs us of the visual and spiritual pleasure
art can bring.
Culture is a fine thing and no less so for the artist who naturally
wishes to speculate and theorize about his work. However, if his work
lacks that instinctive gift, that natural talent which is always present
even when subordinate to intelligence and which imbues art with a
powerful and vibrant immediacy, it is not worthy of the term “painting”.
Could this be why so many art lovers both past and present have been
reticent to pick up the brush themselves? Of course this is the reason
– they were and are fully aware of not being sufficiently gifted
and therefore not born to be painters at all.
Albino Lucatello on the other hand, certainly has that talent and
I have been an admirer of his work from the very beginning when he
first set out upon this difficult road. He is truly gifted and that
gift permeates his paintings with a sincerity which renders his work
accessible and understandable to all.
As I said at the beginning, his paintings speak for themselves and
require no introduction.
Translated by Amanda M. Hunter
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From the invitation to the exhibition
held at the “La Chiocciola” Gallery, at Libreria Draghi
(Draghi Bookshop) in via Cavoour 9, Padova – 13-26 November 1957i |
