Striking showcases of light and color are on display as artist Giovanni Lombardini’s work is exhibited in SMSU’s William Whipple Art Gallery. The pieces are distinct in that the artist plays with lighting to create vivid images. The show “Impulsi” will be displayed Feb. 24 to March 27.

“Giovanni Lombardini’s show is the highlight of this season’s exhibits,” said Edward Evans, curator of the exhibit and SMSU Professor Emeritus of Art.

Lombardini was born in Coriano, Italy in 1950 and studied at the Accademia delle Belle Arti of Urbino, an academy dedicated to visual arts.

The work on display focuses on visual effects made by paint and glossy acrylic on varying mediums. The artist’s style and use of materials is different from that of other artists.

“Lombardini’s brilliant color and light are created with his unique technique of heating acrylic in a vat and applying it to a panel or canvas support,” said Evans.
Artwork on display include Pietre Preziose, created in 2004. Layers of green and red pop out against a dark background, showing off Lombardini’s lighting effects. Scie (2013), shows fading purple and red emerging from the center.

“This exhibit is different from anything that we have recently shown,” said Evans.

In addition to the Whipple Gallery, Lombardini’s work has been displayed in many other galleries, including the Barbara Behan Contemporary Art Gallery, London, the Gallery of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and Gallery 23 in Cattolica, Italy.

“Lombardini is one of the best known contemporary Italian artists, and we are fortunate to exhibit his artwork,” said Evans.

The William Whipple Art Gallery is located in the McFarland Library in Bellows Academic.