ÁLVARO ZARDONI
BIOGRAPHY
Alvaro Zardoni was born at Mexico City’s “Colonia Roma” neighbourhood. He studied painting and drawing at Irene Lindroth’s studio from 1975 to 1981 and from 1983 until 1988. He started to work in sculpture in an independent way, experimenting with various materials until his almost exclusive use of bronze in his current work. His sculpture - figurative and of small format - is usually accompanied by different found objects that reinforce the original idea of each piece.
Zardoni's reference to both Classical and Mediterranean sculpture also take into consideration mythological themes, literary characters or those derived from legends. He exhibits regularly around Mexico in various galleries, official sites, cultural centers and alternative spaces. He graduated from the School of Architecture at the Universidad Anahuac (Mexico City,) in 1987. He is currently represented by Galleria Dante in Puerto Vallarta. He has been a member of the Salon de la Plástica Mexicana since 2006.
Recently Alvaro was asked if he was influenced by the artist, Louise Nevelson. “When I was quite young I read something Louise Nevelson wrote and that has stayed with me ever since. I love her work and admire the courage she had to give up everything and become an artist... though obviously I'm more into figurative sculptors: I have passed through various favorite ones and studied their work, the first one was Rodin, then Aristide Maillol, Camille Claudel, Josep Clará, Subirachs and Arno Breker... and the more recent ones were Robert Graham (whose death last year shocked me... ) and Javier Marin. I'm not sure if I can see their direct influence on my work... they all have marked me in some way, perhaps very subtly, but I try not to copy anyone... I have tried to find my own way of expression..." he replied.
"From earliest childhood I knew I was going to be an artist. I felt like an artist. Some people are here on earth and never know what they want. I call them 'unfinished business.' I had a blueprint all my life from childhood and I knew exactly what I demanded of this world. Now, some people may not demand of life as much as I did. But I wanted one thing that I thought belonged to me, I wanted the whole show. For me that is living... Who is an artist? I say, we take a title. No one gives it to us. We make our lives," Zardoni added.
Alvaro’s work forms part of private collections in México, Miami, Los Ángeles, Chicago, Boston, Nueva York, Portland, Eugene, Seattle, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Colonia, Stuttgart, Viena, Amberes, Rotterdam, Lisboa, Madrid, Milán, Como Paris and London.
