WAITING IS NOT WASTED TIME
The first edition of Arte a San Leonardo involved Simone Berti (1966), who, at the end of his residence at various points in 2022, created an artist’s book with a run of 120 copies and an artist’s label designed to adorn 999 bottles of the San Leonardo 2018 vintage. The topic of Berti’s research is ‘L’attesa non è tempo sprecato’ [waiting is not wasted time], a reflection on the role of time and its different manifestations in the life of humans and nature, the evolution of an artistic idea, and a product like wine. For Simone Berti, time displays itself in many different forms: ‘There is the time that our eyes take to accustom themselves to seeing things in the dark, the time needed for an idea in our minds to change, and the time necessary for things to develop. As those who grow grapes and produce wine know well, waiting is not wasted time. This is shown perfectly, for example, by sequoias, which, had they not waited 2000 years, would not have become so majestic and magnificent.’
Artistic label by Simone Berti for San Leonardo 2018
Work by Simone Berti featured in the artist's book
For the artist, trees and vegetation are the visible form of time, nature’s time, in which slowness and the ability to wait are elements that generate strength and beauty. In the 34 images that decorate the pages of the book, nature is represented by vegetation that progressively occupies all the spaces, connecting people, objects, and architecture, turning a daily environment into a dream-like landscape crossed by a silent, vital energy. The Arte a San Leonardo project is curated by Giovanna Amadasi and occurs annually. Over time, the artist’s books will build the San Leonardo library, becoming a place to meet and converse among the worlds of wine and art, while the bottles will become collector items. The San Leonardo estate is a family-run business rich in history and deeply rooted in the land. More than 1000 years ago it was a monastery and for the last 300 years it has been the home of the Marquises Guerrieri Gonzaga, who protect it with passion. Three hundred hectares, of which 30 contain organically grown vines, protected by the imposing mountains of Trentino, which cushion the cold northern winds and welcome the temperate breezes of Lake Garda. Here we find cabernet sauvignon, carménère, and merlot, the grapes used in the production of San Leonardo, the emblematic wine of the estate.
Work by Simone Berti featured in the artist's book
Work by Simone Berti featured in the artist's book
Work by Simone Berti featured in the artist's book
The artist
Simone Berti was born in Adria (RO) in 1966. He lives and works in Milan.
He has exhibited in museums and international exhibitions including Fare Mondi / Making Worlds, 52nd Venice Biennal, (2009, curated by Daniel Birnbaum); Italics, MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, and Palazzo Grassi in Venice (2008, curated by Francesco Bonami); Egofugal – 7th Istanbul Biennal (2001, curated by Yuko Hasegawa); Manifesta 3 – The European Nomadic Biennial, Borderline syndrome: Energies of Defense, Ljubljana (2000, curated by Francesco Bonami);
Examining Pictures Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, and Hammer Museum – UCLA, Los Angeles (1999–2000, curated by Francesco Bonami and Judith Nesbitt).
He presented a solo exhibition in 2017 at Museo MACRO, Rome, entitled Simone Berti – Appunti Di Una Generazione (curated by Costantino d’Orazio) and he presented Personale (curated by Alessandro Rabottini) in 2005 at the Galleria di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea GaMEC, Bergamo. He is currently professor of painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Urbino.
Artistic label by Simone Berti for San Leonardo 2018
Work by Simone Berti featured in the artist's book
Download the brochure to learn more about Simone Berti's work
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