A joint personal exhibition
Promoted by the Regione Toscana and the Comune of Prato
in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Italy

Project space | Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art
Prato, 29 May 2010 – 9 January 2011


Photo: Peter Cox

On Saturday 29 May 2010 the Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art is inaugurating THE PRATO PROJECT, a joint personal exhibition by the artists Thom Puckey and Jan van der Ploeg, The exhibition, promoted by the Regione Toscana and the Comune of Prato in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Italy, with the contribution of the Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena and the support of ASM spa, CariPrato, Gruppo Consiag, Unione Industriale Pratese, will take place in the Project Space on the ground floor of the Prato museum and will be open until 9 January 2011.

The two artists, both of whom live and work in Amsterdam, have been invited to set up a joint project on the ground floor of the Pecci Centre, a project the idea of which is linked to the one already tested at the Aschenbach and Hofland Galleries in Amsterdam in May-June of 2008.

THE PRATO PROJECT combines a series of Puckey’s latest marble statues with the monumental wall-paintings of Van der Ploeg, which cover a wall surface more than 50 metres in length. The challenge inherent in this collaboration is that of creating a dialogue between the chromatic abstraction of the two-dimensional painted forms and the unconventional realism of the sculpted figures, between the monumental dimensions of the surrounding painting and the sensual stylishness of the marble statuary.
For the show in the Pecci Centre the two artists have taken a further step in attempting to close the gap which separates the character of their work: the plinths supporting Puckey’s statues were designed by Jan van der Ploeg, and in their forms and colours represent a natural continuation of the wall painting. By extending the painted geometric forms to the pedestals the project marries the forcible tension confined in the sculptures to the fluctuating spatial dynamism expressed by the painting.

For the occasion of THE PRATO PROJECT the Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art will be publishing a catalogue with an original critical article by Marco Senaldi.


The artists

Thom Puckey has spent a lot of time in Italy, and in particular Tuscany where he is at present working on his sculptures. In 2005 he had a show of his works at Val di Bisenzio (Prato) on the occasion of the first edition of the exhibition Territoria, of which he was also the curator. A new work of his has recently been purchased by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Prato, and will be on display for the first time at the Pecci Centre exhibition.

Jan van der Ploeg has had numerous solo shows in Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. However, this is his first solo show in Italy, where he took part in group exhibitions in Trento (2006) and Topolò (Udine, 2008). The presentation of his wall-paintings at the Pecci Centre on Prato follows ideally on those of such masters of wall-painting as Sol LeWitt and David Tremlett.

Technical details

Title
THOM PUCKEY 1 JAN VAN DER PLOEG
THE PRATO PROJECT

Duration
30 May 2010 – 9 January 2011

Location
Project Space | Luigi Pecci Centre
for Contemporary Art, Prato

Preview
Friday 28 May 2010, 12 a.m.

Inauguration
Saturday 29 May 2010, 6 p.m.

Promoters
Regione Toscana, Comune di Prato

With the contribution of
Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena

With the support of
ASM spa, CariPrato, Gruppo Consiag
Unione Industriale Pratese

Official partner
Florence Airport

In collaboration with
The Embassy of the Netherlands in Italy

Catalogue
Edizioni Centro per l'arte contemporanea
Luigi Pecci, Prato

Opening hours
Daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Closed on Tuesdays, from 7 to 22 and 28 and 29 August 2010.
From Wednesday 8 June until the end of July,
every Wednesday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Entry
Free of charge

Information
Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci
Viale della Repubblica 277, Prato
Tel. +39 0574 5317

Pecci Centre
Silvia Bacci, s.bacci@centropecci.it
Press Office
Ivan Aiazzi, i.aiazzi@centropecci.it
Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci
Tel. + 39 0574 531828 – Fax +39 0574 531901
www.centropecci.it

National Press Office
Studio Pesci di Federico Palazzoli
Via San Vitale 27, 40125 Bologna
Tel. + 39 051 269267 - Fax + 39 051 2960748
info@studiopesci.it - www.studiopesci.it