Reserve
The third volume of the catalogue raisonné of Enrico Castellani accompanies the other two volumes published in 2012, which document his works made between 1955 and 2005, and completes the cataloguing regarding the practice of this artist, who died in 2017
The volume, in Italian/English, divided into various sections, gathers his works on canvas, sculptures, high reliefs and installations registered with the Archive of the Fondazione Enrico Castellani and not included in the previous two volumes of the catalogue raisonné (Skira, 2012). The book is arranged chronologically to follow the authorised cataloging and carries forth the work begun by Renata Wirz, who died in 2016, and promoted by Castellani himself, with whom the publication process and work verification was agreed upon for this final and third volume.
The book, promoted by the Fondazione Enrico Castellani, edited by Federico Sardella and Lorenzo Wirz Castellani and introduced by Hans Hulrich Obrist, together with the two previous publications, represents the vastest monograph dedicated to this artist’s work and, in addition to being an essential tool in identifying his works, fully renders the spirit and modalities of the method of Enrico Castellani, whose final ten years of activity were especially prolific.
The first chapter in this third volume documents his works on canvas made starting in 2006, arranged chronologically, accompanied by in-depth entries, numbered in continuation based on the second volume.
The second chapter includes a series of high-reliefs in aluminium and enamel conceived beginning in 2006. These works, even though appearing similar to Castellani’s classic surfaces, stand out and are strictly sculptural, even considering the material and techniques adopted.
Instead, the third chapter is entirely devoted to his sculptures and installations. It aims to be, in part, an update to the previous volumes and document the main sculptural elaborations made by Castellani starting in the 1950s.
The fourth and final chapter represents the conclusion to the cataloging published in 2012 and includes overs 200 images of canvases in relief and paintings made until 2005 and not included in the previously published volume.
All the works reproduced in the chapters were selected on the basis of attentive assessment and are accompanied by detailed entries that include information regarding the works, on relating descriptions as well as the provenance and history of ownership plus any possible exhibitions and contexts in which the works were reproduced.