Page 74 - The Venice Biennale 2001 issue of World of Art Magazine

surrealism AD 2001 artiSt Portfolio
by AdrIAn-SIlVAn IonEScU

alexandrU neStor

Alexandru Nestor plays with palpable Nestor has also in
things in order to create illusion. His works mind the pictorial side
are the result of conspicuous combinations of of his works. The brass
heterogeneous objects. In his way, Nestor is drawers’ handles and
a preposterous collector of curios. His studio hinges are glittering on
looks like a cabinet of a Renaissance prince the polished mahogany.
with scientific propensities. Shells, rocks and Sometimes dried leafs
gems, bottles of every kind, old maps end are pasted on the doors
books, coins, herbarium, clockworks, feathers of his tiny sideboards.
end stuffed birds are collectible items which Their natural shades
cover in piles the floor and every corner of rendered vividness to the whole. Thus the artist
the room. From this heap of objects the artist succeeds to bridge the elusive gap between
selects the elements for his unorthodox works. life and art. Other surfaces are covered with
Nestor has a juvenile appetite for games: stamps and scraps from old newspapers and
his works are puzzle-like compositions. Using commercials. History and culture resound in
cobbler’s old hoot patterns, thousand of little these collage pictures.
clock wheels, bells, bulbs, switches and every Nestor uses sometimes paint for his
conceivable outdated, discarded objects Nestor sophisticated works. Within his subdued, refined
re-creates a world, a world of his own. For palette, which frequently was related to his
Nestor is a dreamer end a master of gold end silvers of precious metals,
illusion as well. he would put forth either matte or
The tiny objects from which he brilliant examples of these colors,
combines his works arc not junks as along with purple, pink and red.
those used by the Danish artists Henry Humor plays a great part in
Heerup and William Freddie in mid 1930s. Nestor’s art. The idea of combining
Instead they are leftovers from various such heterogeneous items in order
old workshops. Skilled in many fields to obtain a case or an assemblage
Nestor is, in the meantime, cobbler, joiner, figure is humorous in itself. Besides,
plumber, blacksmith, watchmaker and titles are ironically chosen too:
jeweler for his assemblages. His works ore The Flossy Chinese, The Tired
mainly wooden boxes, cases, caskets and Maid, The Sensible Triangle, Three-
trunks of various size end shape. Some tongues Warrior, and A Butterfly
of them are anthropomorphic figures Infatuated with Armstrong.
sustained on wooden hoot patterns. The Recently Nestor was inspired
hatted heeds are actually lighted bulbs with their by old German legends and Richard Wagner’s
shades. Thus the assemblage figures become operas. Consequently ho illustrated, in his
functional also. Clocks are incorporated in original way The Rhinegold. The juxtaposition
others. Some resemble scientific instruments of dials end scales are meant to reveal King
with plenty of dials and scales, often electrically Niebelung’s coat of mail. The arched top of
activated. Still others are mocking precious a sideboard magnificently suggests Hagen’s
pieces of furniture. In every shelf or every befeathered helmet. Darker shades are intended
drawer there is a surprise: a shell, a butterfly, a to stress the gloomy nature of this character.
stone, a leaf, a root, o feather, a nickel, a stamp, With wide cultural propensities Alexandru
a toy figure or a photograph. As a genuine Nestor is able to portray a mythic past and to
collector Nestor labeled all these exhibits, destroy the cliché of contemporary life using
sometimes in Latin or German, using scientific its own weapons.
terms.

ADRiAn-siLvAn iOnescu IS A
frEElAncE crITIc BASEd In BUcHArEST, roMAnIA

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