Maestro Pavarotti Tribute, Florence, Italy, September 9,10 2007
Click to see the complete photo series

DATES: September 9-10, 2007

PLACE: Piazza Della Signoria, Florence, Italy

A sculpture tribute to Maestro Luciano Pavarotti was placed in the center of Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy on the weekend of September 9.

The sculpture installation, entitled “The Three Pavarottis,” was composed of three bronze portrait ‘heads’ (eight times life-size, each) placed in a way that allows the viewer to walk freely between them.

Maestro Pavarotti posed for the sculptures in Modena, Italy as part of a “Heroes of Our Times” project initiated by the artist to correspond with an exhibition at Heller Gallery in New York City in 2005.

Artist Kevin Berlin envisioned Maestro’s portrait as a “force of nature” - like a mountain, volcano or storm. Three heads, rather than one, were needed to tell the story. The sculptures are in constant transformation as the viewer moves around them – from an abstract mass - to a figurative work that takes sharp focus. Like an aria, the sculpture is ever-changing, depending on the lighting, placement and position of the viewer. By juxtaposing these fluid elements, the installation functions as an “active body” rather than a fixed object in metal. No two “performances” are the same.

Lighting changes affect the emotional content of the sculpture. In late evening light a strong element of sadness and melancholy is evident. In bright sunlight or dramatic lighting, the deep shadows cast in the eyes and mouth give the impression that the sculpture is about to sing.

The Artist spent more than one year on the original clay model, which was the basis for the bronze castings. A special casting was presented to the Maestro for his personal collection, at his home in Modena in honor of his 70th birthday in October 2006.

Other “Hero” sculptures include a “Pink Pavarotti” which, if cast successfully, would be the largest portrait sculpture ever cast in the history of mould-melted glass.

The Artist is currently searching for a permanent home for “The Three Pavarottis” at a location that would bring honor and respect to his memory.

About the Artist: Internationally renowned artist Kevin Berlin's works are found in the collections of Buzz Aldrin, Kim Basinger, Henry Buhl, David Letterman, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Quincy Jones, General Motors Corp. and Carnival Cruise Lines. Berlin, a Yale Alumnus, has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Miami Herald, USA Today, and CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, MTV, Tokyo Television, and BBC Radio. Berlin was honored by President Reagan at The White House as a YoungArts Presidential Scholar in 1983.

www.kevinberlin.com

Maestro Luciano Pavarotti Tribute
The following photographs are presented in chronological order.

Maestro Luciano Pavarotti and Sculptor Kevin Berlin, Modena, Italy, 2006

Waxes for casting. Pistoia, Italy, June 2007

Bronze casting. Pistoia, Italy, September 2007

This image and following: Piazza Della Signoria, Florence, Italy, September 9-10, 2007

Mailing List | Contact Us | © 1998-2006 Kevin Berlin
Home | www.BerlinSocks.com