Mario Bernasconi (sculptor)
In addition to posing and performing hard work, he learned the art of moulding, design in relief, and the study of the human body.
He made portraits of his friends, among them Angelo Tonello, the painters Filippo Boldini, Gualtiero Colombo, the writers Vinicio Salati Francesco Manzoni and Silvio Calloni the naturalist from Pazzallo.
He created the head of "Cristo" (Christ) that stands atop the steps of San Pietro Pambio Cemetery, at the center of the big stone cross.1923 – His mother became ill and died.
1925– At the National Exhibition of Fine Art at the Kunsthaus Zurich, the Federal Government acquired the statue "Il Curato di campagna" (The country Priest) and donated the bronze to the city of LuganoThe full plaster figure can be seen at the Museum in Pazzallo.
On June 13, 1926, in New York, on the Daily News of the workers of America, "The New World" in the center of the front page appears the reproduction of the sculpture "Il Martire" (The Martyr) by Mario Bernasconi.
Of the encounter with friends, writes Francesco Manzoni in the volume "Mario Bernasconi Scultore" Editions Aurora, Lugano: "Then the political rounds would break loose and Mario wearing the Valiere tie, was singing Bandiera Rossa (Red Flag) and the hymn to the anarchists or he would play them on the mouth accordion, his face assuming a faun flavor whereby his authentic faith was affirmed without reservation: perhaps with great anger, that sometimes had the epic of Brecht and when cooled off, ended with the recitation of a scarlet "Ca ira.
"[2] Matured by the strong impression of the Egyptian sculptures, Greek and Roman, the one of the Renaissance, the neo-Gothic of Lehmbruck, the realism of Rodin, Mario Bernasconi found his own style.
While waiting for a studio in Berlin he travels with his wife to Reichenbach in Slesia thereafter reaching the city of Prague, rich in works of art.
Being the Swiss Italian artist with Werner von Alvensleben and the Russian painter Arthur Bryks, founders of the Porza Association the inauguration of their second exhibit is taking place on March 25, 1928, in Berlin.
The following trips take him to Krefeld the birth-city of his wife, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt on the Main, Munich in Bavaria, Breslavia and Paris where another "Porza" home was erected.
In 1931 he createed: "La Preghiera" (The Prayer) for the tomb in the cemetery of San Pietro Pambio, of the family Ostilio Foglia.
Pastor Nicolas-Boldt, writer in Lugaggia; Professor Gogarten of the University of Jena; Cornelia Forster; Emil Mauser, industrial from Zurich.
From the book "Mario Bernasconi Scultore" Editions Aurora Lugano, Vinicio Salati writes in "L'amico" (Friend): "From this couple of artists, new forces are resumed."
The building, filled with relief and stucco work, was always visited by artists who left signatures, writings and poems on the veranda walls.
Bernasconi finds a large studio in Lugano, along the Cassarate river, where companion artists work such as Boldini, Ribola, Moglia, Ardnoldi [it] and others.
The speech is held by Francesco Chiesa Luigi Caglio of that artwork exalted in: "L'affermazione dei valori della vita" "The affirmation of life's values" "Among the values of life that Mario Bernasconi was a firm believer, was a religiosity that without being subject to discipline, without making a profession of faith in certain dogmas, is indisputable.
The woman who has been shaken and trembled at the Annunciation, the Mother who generated the divine infant in the squalor of the Bethlehem stable, the one who will be torn from the atrocious sufferings inflicted on the Son, this statue symbolizes a vigorous vitality.
Seeing her, one is induced to enter the word robur (fortress) in the Salve Regina, where Mary is pleaded as life dulcedo et spes nostra.
1950 – Creates Il Tobiolo (Boy with fish) for the school fountain in Massagno:: The statue "La Dolente" (The Sufferer) for Family Poretti tomb, Lugano cemetery.
[4] Regarding the Water-carrier a very positive critique appeared, on March 9, 1956 by Prof. Charly Clerc, entitled: "Sculpteur tessinois" on the front page of the Journal de Geneve, .
"[5] On the ACQUAIOLA the painter Mario Guberti Helfricht from Ravenna, on the invitation for the centenary celebration of Mario Bernasconi 1899–1999 by the city of Lugano responded expressing as follows (in the Italian language) : "L'opera riprodotta e' un capolavoro, un vero inno alla bellezza femminile, quale solo un grande artista poteva fare."
English translation: "The ACQUAIOLA is a masterpiece, a true hymn to female beauty, as only a great artist could do" 1960–1963 – The company Baylender of Milan, asks Mario Bernasconi to create, for the centennial occasion of the Kleinewefers company in Germany, the statue Il Genio del lavoro (Genius der Arbeit) For the Pedrinis establishment, he creates the relief (his last work) "Il mercato di Lugano" (Lugano's market) the third panel remained unfinished.
The Government officials of the "Dicastero della Cultura" were present with Aldo Patocchi, President of the "Societa' Ticinese delle Belle Arti".
"The artwork and the personality of Mario Bernasconi, one of the maximum sculptors of the period, have not yet been the object of deep studies, which constitutes a serious gap for the comprehension of the southern Swiss artistic reality of the first half of the 20th century."
[6] 1920 – Bernasconi shows his works at the Museo Villa Ciani Lugano for the exhibitions of the Societa' Ticinese delle Belle Arti.
1928 – Second exhibit with the "Porza Association" in Berlin with Max Dungert, Edward Matare, Käthe Kollwitz, Alexej Jawlensky, Yves Klein, Georg Muche, Marianne von Werefkin, Nicolay Wassillieff, Christof Drexel, Oswald Herzog, Lothar Homeyer, Arthur Segal and Carl Zuckmayer, one of the most well known in the field of theater and music.
1932 – Kunsthaus Zurich and Museum Winterthur with Hedy Giger, Margarete Goetz, Charles Hug, W. Meier, E. Morgenthaler, E. Perinciolli.
1934 – Aktuarius Gallery Zurich, with Cuno Amiet, Maurice Barraud, Blanchet, Epper, Griser, Giacometti, Hermann Haller and Hubacher.
[7][8] In 1927–1929, the Porza Association is founded and becomes a very successful International movement based in Berlin spreading rapidly to other major European cities.
The Porza association recently described by Elena Spoerl on the newspaper La Regione, June 2, 2012 The Porza association recently described by Dalmazio Ambrosoli on the Art and Culture publication:{https://ticinowelcome.ch/cultura/musei-e-istituzioni-culturali-cultura/lassociazione-culturale-porza-arte-e-liberta/} Television Programs: Historians, Art Critics, Journalists and Writers: Books published: Journalists and Critics: Published newspaper articles:
