In him we have a kind of transliteration in terms of fantasy, and his characters become the protagonists of timeless events in an unknown place. Rather than celebrating heroic losses and tragedies, tribulations and misery, Pardini evokes a prosperous and forgiving, a luxurious and florid, Eden, in which men and things live in perfect harmony. There is no other place in the world so fecund, so immune to consumption and corruption, not to mention to death. The legend of ancient merry lands springs to mind, like the island of Scheria, immune to sins and troubles. In our times too, we can choose to live in many ways, wracked with anxiety and worry, or vice versa, willing to recognize, as De Micheli duly noted, the positivity of existence.
In doing so, Pardini makes use of vibrant colors that have very peculiar connotations. His blues, reds and yellows, pure and bright, are unmistakable, and they highlight the dynamics of the composition, blending in a clear-cut manner. The hand liberally traces the exquisitely designed shapes (you note not only the figures, but the fresh images of tree branches, flowers, fruit; and even still life with fish, and the allegories of spring and summer).
I believe – and this is confirmed by having seen the latest works – that Pardini’s creativity has not only not dissipated over the years, but, quite the contrary, it has been refined and enriched. Without fear, he calmly cultivates his lyrical skills, and he sets aside for us part of his dreams and his enchanting visions, reminding us that, in the end, it is always man who gives sense and meaning to the world which surrounds him. – April 1989
PIER CARLO SANTINI
Born in Lucca in 1924, he attended the University of Pisa, studying under Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti, to whom his method of work is indebted.
He worked with Ragghianti from 1952 on the magazine «seleArte», as well as contributing to numerous other publications («L’Espresso», «Fiera Letteraria», «Il giornale dell’arte», «Il Giornale», «La Nazione»). In Milan, for the publishing house Edizioni di Comunità, he was in charge of a series on architecture and figurative art, as well as the magazine «Zodiac». Returning to Lucca in 1964, he dedicated much of his written work to the town, and gave over much of his time to sculpture. He also curated numerous important collective and personal art exhibitions, helping the town become part of a larger exhibition circuit. From 1981 to his death in 1993, he was scientific director of the “Fondazione Centro Studi sull’Arte Licia e Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti”, to which he left his book collection in his will.
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