Valerius, the purity of form

by Eva Schirato May 31, 2023

What is art? For many it is a simple imitation of reality, for others it is the fruit of simple creativity; for us, who observe the works of Valerio de Marchi, it is this and much more.

Through his sculptures Valerius not only does he make us spectators of his ability to shape matter and give shape to his thoughts, but also participants in a perfection that surpasses reality by placing itself in ideality. In De Marchi's production reality and idea merge: the true subject is the femininity and the woman is that body which, through its movements, its lines, and its plasticity, embodies it absolutely.

A hymn to Femininity: la Miss it is the image of a strong, proud, confident woman. Aware of her beauty, she shows herself to the viewer in a brazen way.

The long hair, not tied but gathered in the hands, conveys a sense of softness, lightness and naturalness.

The breast, a symbol of motherhood and fertility, is shown with ease by the woman who, through the position of her arms, lets the viewer concentrate on the soft and sinuous shapes that compose it.

The red heels, emblem of passion and eroticism, frame her feet, lifting her - even if slightly - from the ground.

Suspended from reality, it symbolically reaches the ideal. In doing so, it strips itself of its physicality while remaining sensual and feminine. Sculpted by light, La Miss is an expression of one beauty ethereal and immutable.

The curved back, the bowed head, the crossed legs: the tangled position of the body becomes a prison of the woman's soul. The face and intimacies remain hidden: theidentity he is absent, and the body emptied of his soul collapses on itself. In this way the viewer benefits from its aesthetic beauty Nymph, disinterested in tracing the feelings, emotions and passions that animate it.

Here is the emblem of a woman prisoner of an image that has been built on her for centuries: pure corporeity. The lack of interest, and the inability of most people to investigate her interiority, is what over time has led women to be considered a mere object of display.

In Nymph with Putto we witness a moment of maximum intimacy between two subjects. While she is lying relaxed on the rock, he touches her fingers with a loving gaze. The exchange of glances and the bowl is a metaphor for a deeper exchange: that of life.

The woman, symbol of motherhood and fertility, sits together with the Putto on a lush carpet: the vine full of bunches alludes to love, peace and prosperity. Once again the reflected light elevates the bodies from the materiality of the rock on which they sit, stripping them of their physicality. In this sense, the two subjects become vehicles for an exchange of love, intimacy and complicity that lulls and animates those who witness the scene.

De Marchi's ability to shape matter, giving it plasticity and sensuality is what makes his works Ideal. In fact, they are an emblem of classic beauty, such that they remain unchanged over time, always strong and capable of instilling charm and amazement in those who look at them. The perfection of lines and shapes represents the ideal combination for the origin of a woman aware of herself and capable of making her body an instrument of affirmation.