Layers of Time: Giorgio Morandi & Alexis Ralaivao

'Layers of Time: Giorgio Morandi and Alexis Ralaivao' invites viewers on a contemplative journey through the nuanced exploration of temporality in art. Giorgio Morandi's masterful canvases delicately capture the subtle shifts of light and shadow, serving as windows into suspended moments that prompt reflection on existence's transient nature. Widely regarded as an 'artists' artist,' Morandi's influence transcends trends in painting, resonating in debates from figuration to abstraction. Alexis Ralaivao's encounter with Morandi's work at the “Les Choses” exhibition in 2022 was transformative, deepened by a residency in Morandi's hometown of Bologna. The works exhibited at Nahmad Projects reflect the fruit...

"Layers of Time: Giorgio Morandi and Alexis Ralaivao" invites viewers on a contemplative journey through the nuanced exploration of temporality in art. Giorgio Morandi's masterful canvases delicately capture the subtle shifts of light and shadow, serving as windows into suspended moments that prompt reflection on existence's transient nature. Widely regarded as an "artists' artist," Morandi's influence transcends trends in painting, resonating in debates from figuration to abstraction.

Alexis Ralaivao's encounter with Morandi's work at the “Les Choses” exhibition in 2022 was transformative, deepened by a residency in Morandi's hometown of Bologna. The works exhibited at Nahmad Projects reflect the fruit of this exploration. Ralaivao's meticulous attention to detail unveils snapshots of larger narratives, with each brushstroke echoing passing moments within compositions, exploring transparency and reflection in contrast to Morandi's use of opacity and materiality.

Both artists engage viewers by highlighting compositional aspects alongside material surfaces. While Morandi's compositions evoke a familial assembly akin to a wedding portrait, Ralaivao's works reflect contemporary mobile phone photography's influence, capturing moments and sparking immediate reflection and dialogue.

Together, Morandi and Ralaivao weave a narrative transcending the constraints of a single frame, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the timeless beauty of still life compositions. Born almost a century apart, this exhibition highlights shared differences between two painters across generations, united by their devotion to painting.

"I believe that nothing can be more abstract, more unreal, than what we actually see. We know that all we can see of the objective world, as human beings, never really exists as we see and understand it. Matter exists, of course, but has no intrinsic meaning of its own, such as the meaning we attach to it." - Giorgio Morandi

Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964), born in Bologna, Italy, was an Italian painter renowned for his contemplative still lifes and landscapes. His works are held in numerous museums throughout the world, and celebrated for their timeless beauty and profound exploration of form and composition.

Alexis Ralaivao (born 1991) is a French-Madagascan artist, living and working in Berlin...

Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964), born in Bologna, Italy, was an Italian painter renowned for his contemplative still lifes and landscapes. His works are held in numerous museums throughout the world, and celebrated for their timeless beauty and profound exploration of form and composition.

Alexis Ralaivao (born 1991) is a French-Madagascan artist, living and working in Berlin. He has gained international acclaim for capturing fleeting moments of intimacy through tightly cropped compositions. A self-taught artist, Ralaivao worked in Bologna, Italy, to immerse himself fully in the environment of Morandi ahead of this shared exhibition at Nahmad Projects, London.