NON C'ERA UNA VOLTA...
Demetz, a very sensitive and technically knowledgeable master carver, creates his sculptures by carving the soft, light-pink wood of the lime tree. A wood with no knots and no veins, which allows the crafting of smooth, natural-coloured sculptures that are then partly painted with light acrylic glazes and enriched with precious and meticulous details.
They are youngsters, teenagers with gentle faces that seem to come out of the wall almost as if to meet you. If we look at them carefully, we notice their proud and watchful gaze, always direct but veiled by a slight melancholy or accompanied by a hint of a smile.
At first glance, it would be easy to think we were entering the world of fairy tales, guided by Ferdinando, to meet the various fairy tale characters. An enchanted and fantastic world that accompanied us throughout our childhood and still reminds us of that time of our lives.
“Once upon a time, there was …” is the classic introduction to stories, to that magical, unreal world we all know: home to Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Peter Pan and Pinocchio, the irreverent and disrespectful puppet, who magically becomes a loving and perfect son.
Fairy tales starring loving mothers against evil stepmothers, sweet and understanding fairies against wicked witches, good hunters against bad wolves, with all of us waiting for the inevitable happy ending, where everyone lives happily ever after.
It's not like that. In Demetz's world there are no princes or princesses, no children who get lost and then rescued, and for the Artist, childhood isn't that golden garden where everything is love and joy: after all, today, that “once upon a time, there was...” turns into “once upon a time, there wasn't...”. A “once upon a time” that never was, never is and, perhaps, never will be.
Demetz's sculptures show us a different, deeper and more real childhood, where the young protagonists are not only vulnerable victims but also people who are strong and aware, ready to challenge the world and fight for their happiness.
The characters of the fairy tales become symbols of a more articulate and multifaceted reality, where good doesn't always triumph over evil, in which everyone has to confront their weaknesses and limitations in order to find their path.
Demetz's works invite us to reflect on the importance and complexity of the transition from childhood to adolescence, which brings us all, sooner or later, to a point where we have to face life's challenges with courage and determination, abandoning the illusion of a perfect world where there are no difficulties, but without ever losing hope of one day living in a different world and having a better future.
Works that, while referring to the world of fairy tales, also seek to interpret the insecurities, anxieties and concerns of society today.
Today's Cinderella perhaps feels that she doesn't live up to the aesthetic standards “suggested” by fashion, influencers, and the cosmetics industry, so she wears a mask, as if this could hide and protect her from the world.
Sleeping Beauty, perhaps disappointed by the love she dreamed of and believed in, Prince Charming, perhaps not quite so charming after all... and what about the Princess and the Frog: maybe her passionate and trusting kiss failed to transform him into a prince. A frog he was and a frog he remained.
What could be more topical than a Rapunzel who, scissors poised, is about to cut her hair in a subversive act of mourning, for sisterhood, for freedom.
Little Red Riding Hood with the ears of a wolf, who, like the wolf, has to be cautious and vigilant at all times because the road is lonely and she knows that, sadly, there'll be no one to help her. She must be ready to defend herself if necessary and not trust anyone, not even those who seem kind and harmless. Little Red Riding Hood knows that life is full of dangers but, with forethought and courage, she can overcome any obstacle and reach her goal..
The Pinocchio figurine represents a rather lost and lonely boy suffering from an identity crisis. The fairytale aims to teach us that we should behave respectfully towards our peers, our parents, our teachers and our elders but unfortunately, reality tells us that this is not the case.
Not everyone, of course, but part of today's youth has no hope for the future, no convictions or beliefs; this, regretfully, leads them to total indifference or to lash out violently at things, defenceless animals and people to escape from the great emptiness they feel inside.
Demetz also gives us two more sculptures in which, just like in a fairy tale with a happy ending, we can read hope for a different, better world, where childhood can be enjoyed to the full, where there is tolerance for others, the acceptance of their ideas and beliefs, even if they conflict with our own.
A world, a time where insult and offence no longer exist, but where mutual respect prevails.
The portrayal of the brave Warrior with his positive values and firm principles will help us in this.
Peter Pan, the little boy with the big beating heart, while giving up the freedom to fly, still keeps his little wings inside his chest and accepts the loss of eternal youth: in the maturity of a renewed awareness, his gaze seems to show us a better world, a Rebirth, thanks to the new generations who will do everything possible to make this happen.
Another subject dear to Demetz's heart is the environment. The wood used for his works comes from the uncontaminated world of the mountains, where man has learned respect for nature, for everything that lives and becomes: in a sort of natural sharing and inevitable symbiosis, in these silent places, the Artist selects and gathers from the woods the antlers that symbolise strength, determination and majesty and transfers them onto the two young Warriors.
Demetz creates works that are not only beautiful to look at, but also convey important messages about environmental protection. Mountains and nature are a source of inspiration for the artist, who wants to highlight the beauty and fragility of nature.
Visual art and music, along with fashion and design, have always been a vehicle for change but also a strong instrument of exposure; artists use their creativity to attract, interest and involve society in important social issues through their works, with kindness, politeness and sometimes irony or provocation.
And Demetz is no exception; with his sculptures he has always invited us to reflect on situations that we might know nothing about but which, unfortunately, are very close to us.
Isabella Del Guerra, 2024
Galleria Gagliardi-2024: solo exhibition by Leo Ferdinando Demetz "Non c'era una volta" curated by Stefano Gagliardi
