2021 EXHIBITORS
GALLERIES/Laocoon Gallery
VIEW ON A WALL
About
Laocoon Gallery combines the experience of renowned Roman galleries W. Apolloni and Galleria del Laocoonte, offering visitors a chance to view not only some of the best examples of Old Master paintings, drawings and sculptures, but also works by prominent 20th century Italian artists.
Founded in 1926, W. Apolloni has been in business for three generations and is now directed by Marco Fabio Apolloni, a writer, journalist and art historian trained at the Courtauld Institute in London. During its successful history the gallery has sold many masterpieces to museums in Italy and abroad. In 2012, he and wife Monica Cardarelli founded Galleria del Laocoonte, presenting works by 20th century Italian artists via exhibitions at their gallery in Rome, fairs across Europe and even in museums.
Exhibition
Laocoön Zoo
Animals – drawn, painted, sculpted and forged in ceramics – are the protagonists of a new, interesting and entertaining exhibition that Laocoön Gallery will inaugurate in July in conjunction with London Art Week. The collection features more than 100 works of ancient, twentieth century and contemporary art portraying cats, dogs, monkeys, ostriches, hippos, roosters, elephants, and many other animals that move, intrigue, enchant and even make you smile through their irresistible comedy. The world would be a much sadder place without them and the world of art entirely too serious. Many of the artists shown actually owe their success to animals, for example Carlo Antonio Raineri (1765 – 1826) who, towards the end of the eighteenth century, was made famous by his countless, colourful exotic birds. Sirio Tofanari (1886 – 1969) is the perfect twentieth century animalier, and Andrea Spadini (1912 – 1983) was adored, especially by Hollywood stars, for his hilarious monkeys and gigantic group of animal musicians encircling the Delacorte Clock in Central Park – from which some terracotta maquettes are on display. For Marino Marini (1901 – 1980) horses were a wonderful obsession, whereas for Pericle Fazzini (1913 – 1987) the cat was a poetic joke. From the contemporary sphere Patrick Alò (1975) brings animals to life through his ingenious assembly of scrap metal,
