The Eloquent Voice of Monumental Sculpture :
BOTERO , DE PASS, MIRO
by
Dame Françoise Tempra.

Within the space of forty eight hours ,I had the priviledge of standing by the " Guerriero " (Warrior)of Fernando Botero in Pietrasanta, Italy,under the "Chef d'Orchestre"of Giacomo de Pass and next to the "Oiseau Lunaire"(Lunar Bird) of Joan Miro both on the Cote d'Azur,in France. The monumentality of the works mesmerizes and fascinates one.

I recalled the tremendous impact of the Colombian artist 's sculptural pluralistic presence some years ago, on Constitution Avenue in the Smithonian's Museums arena ,in Washington DC and later in Paris. Looking at Botero's bronze "Guerriero"I simply marvelled how domineering and most appropriately integrated, it stood , high and imposing in the Municipal Square of Pietrasanta while round the corner,another monumental feat was being performed:the gigantic works of Pietro Cascella, stone and marble euphoria of the 2001 summer.

Arriving directly from the buzzling Nice Airport to the verdant luxuriance of La Blejarde,on the heavenly hills of the Cote d'Azur at Peymeinade ,I clearly heard the last vanishing notes of a symphony directed by Giacomo de Pass' giant "Chef d'Orchestre" in bronze,towering over us ,as we entered the park . The eloquent voice of that particular work echoed the impact of the other sculptures which appeared gradually through the foliage,as one turned a corner and progressed to the improvised artistic stage of the swimming pool:"Le Sabre de la Liberté","Musique et Communication","Serpent d'Amour",as well as "Offrande" and "Mutations au Violon"and many others so remiscent of those I had seen in front of quite a few municipalities and museums in France.

That very afternoon , I was taken by the author and publisher Traudl von Koenig to the Maeght Foundation at Saint Paul de Vence,to see the quite extraordinary temporary loan exhition of Vassily Kandinsky ,the generally accepted first performer of Abstraction. In the landscaped grounds around the cleverly designed main building by Spanish architect Josep Lluis Sert, a profusion of sculptures(Arp, Giacometti, Calder, Richier etc…) amongst which I remained fascinated by the white marble monumentality of Joan Miro's Lunar Bird which however seemed to irresistably attempt to fly through the pluralism of its symbolic wings.

The following day I encountered another extraordinary experience in having the priviledge of being invited to visit the UNIQUE mostly 18th and 19th centuries sculpture collection of Jacques Ginepro which had partially (only 325 sculptures!!) been the subject of an impressive exhibition at the Salles des Arts of the Sporting d'Hiver of Monaco,in 1990:Daumier, Degas, Dalou, Carpeaux, Rodin , Maillol, Bourdelle, Gargallo etc… I realised how emotions evolve …and yet remain :the eloquence of Honore Daumier's figure that I held in my hands at the Ginepro's residence, would still have to compete despite Its consacretion by posterity with the latest small bronze figures created by Giacomo De Pass That will be presented in three Museums in Malta next April:the wonderfully-bellied "L'Indifferent" (The Detached Man), the endlessly-arms-expanding speech deliverer "l'Orateur" and so many others! CAPTIONS. No 16 Pietrasanta (Italy)Townhall Square: Dame Françoise Tempra overwhelmed by BOTERO's bronze"Warrior" most complete with helmet ,shield and sword.

Sunday Times