Mark Lombardi

View available Lombardi works

Preparatory Drawings

18 april - 19 may, 2003
opening, friday, 18 april, 7-9pm
catalogue available

 

 

 

james guerin, isc and ferranti intl plc c.1977-91
"dealers in military pyrotechnics" #1
(detail), 2000
graphite on paper
8.5 x 11 inches

 

press release

In 1994 Lombardi began a series of drawings that he called "narrative structures." He referred to them in this way "because each consists of a network of lines and notations which are meant to convey a story, typically about a recent event of interest to me, like the collapse of a large international bank, trading company, or investment house. One of my goals is to explore the interaction of political, social and economic forces in contemporary affairs." The subjects of these works include BCCI, Lincoln Savings, World Finance of Miami, the Vatican Bank, Silverado Savings, George W. Bush and Harken Energy, among others. Early in the development of this body of work, and in preparation for his larger drawings, Lombardi made small, rough sketches in which he developed the formal representation of relationships. Some of the earliest, dating from 1994, are in ballpoint pen, many others are simply graphite on paper.

This exhibition will feature these rarely seen drawings as a preview to a traveling retrospective of twenty-five Lombardi works, "Global Networks," organized by Independent Curators International, New York and curated by Robert Hobbs. Please see bottom for all dates and locations of the retrospective exhibition.

 

 

 

 

 

first united
verso: cb fin, 1994
blue balllpoint pen and black ink on paper
11 x 14 inches

 

 

 

 

 

 

lincoln
verso: silverado, 1994
ballpoint pen on paper
11 x 14 inches

 

 

 

 

 

 

astra-bmarc-unwin london c.1983-90
"dealers in military pyrotechnics,"
2000
graphite on paper
8.5 x 11 inches

 

 

 

 

 

 

arochem, bayoil and bay industries: stamford, london, baghdad c.1988-91
2000
graphite on paper
8.5 x 11 inches

 

 

 

Global Networks

a traveling retrospective of 25 works by mark lombardi
organized by independent curators international, new york
curated by robert hobbs
january 2003 - october 2004

exhibition itinerary:


herbert f. johnson museum of art, cornell university. ithaca, ny
25 january - 16 march, 2003

cleveland museum of contemporary art. cleveland, ohio
30 may - 17 august, 2003

jean paul slusser gallery, university of michigan. ann arbor, michigan
5 september - 22 october, 2003

the drawing center. new york, ny
1 november - 18 december, 2003

yerba buena center for the arts. san francisco, california
17 january - 4 april, 2004

faulconer gallery, grinnell college. grinnell, iowa
18 june - 1 august, 2004

art gallery of ontario. toronto, ontario, canada
10 september - 5 december, 2004

 

Bibliography: Mark Lombardi's Library

 

The Recent Drawings: An Overview
(Artist Statement)

In 1994 I began a series of drawings I refer to as "narrative structures." Most were executed in graphite or pen and ink on paper. Some are quite large, measuring up to 5 x 12 feet.

I call them "narrative structures" because each consists of a network of lines and notations which are meant to convey a story, typically about a recent event of interest to me, like the collapse of a large international bank, trading company, or investment house. One of my goals is to explore the interaction of political, social and economic forces in contemporary affairs. Thus far I have exhibited drawings on BCCI, Lincoln Savings, World Finance of Miami, the Vatican Bank, Silverado Savings, Castle Bank and Trust of the Bahamas, Nugan Hand Limited of Sydney, Australia, and many more.

Working from syndicated news items and other published accounts, I begin each drawing by compiling large amounts of information about a specific bank, financial group or set of individuals. After a careful review of the literature I then condense the essential points into an assortment of notations and other brief statements of fact, out of which an image begins to emerge.

My purpose throughout is to interpret the material by juxtaposing and assembling the notations into a unified, coherent whole. In some cases I use a set of stacked, parallel lines to establish a time frame. Hierarchical relationships, the flow of money and other key details are then indicated by a system of radiating arrows, broken lines and so forth. Some of the drawings consist of two different layers of information—one denoted in black, the other, red. Black represents the essential elements of the story while the major lawsuits, criminal indictments or other legal actions taken against the parties are shown in red. Every statement of fact and connection depicted in the work is true and based on information culled entirely from the public record.

—Mark Lombardi, c.1997/8

 

 

 

 

read some press about mark lombardi @ pierogi 2000

in memorium mark lombardi 1951 - 2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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