Biography

Marco Marchesini was born in Bologna (Italy) on 22nd August 1942. He was culturally educated at the Bologna Artistic High School and Academy of Fine Arts, concluding his sculpture course taught by Umberto Mastroianni, in 1966. From 1968 to 1969, he then taught Decorative Design and Drawing at the Bologna State Artistic High School. He was a member of the Bologna local Added Monumental Commission from 1984 to 1990. From 1994 to 1998 he taught modelling in professional qualification courses held by the Bologna ASSA (Association School of Applied Sculpture), an association founded by sculptors Bruno Bandoli and Paolo Gualandi. In the same school of sculpture, he took part in the project headed by Prof. Paolo Gualandi and Ms. Loretta Secchi for the artistic education or the blind and poor-sighted. This project had been set up in collaboration Bologna University Physiopathological Optical Clinic and was held at the Bologna institute for the blind ‘F. Cavazza’. It developed research on the bas-relief rendering of pictorial works and led to the founding of the Tactile Museum of Ancient and Modern Painting ‘ANTEROS’ at the Cavazza Institute. His recent years’ work at the Laboratory for Therapeutic and Rehabilitative Modelling set up by the ASSA in the INAIL Prosthesis Centre of Vigorso di Budrio (Bologna), is also worth a mention. Here he collaborated with the Special Pedagogy Unit of the Department of Education Sciences in Bologna University.

Attracted and involved in the many aspects of expression inherent to sculpture, Marchesini has pursued both the narrative and naturalistic possibilities and the more conceptual options of formal synthesis, flanking personal research with an uninterrupted professional working life that began in 1962. This was the year when, during his work directly on site, he created the sculptures of the church of San Severino – a church ordered and designed by the engineer and parish priest, Don Giancarlo Cevenini.

 

Machesini_1980

 

EXHIBITIONS:

  • Camaldoli – Arezzo, Italy 1963;
  • Galleria Forti – Correggio (MO) Italy 1968;
  • Circolo Unione ITALSILVER – Bari, Italy 1974;
  • Hotel Hilton ITS – New York, US 1975;
  • II Biennale di scultura a Reggiolo – (RE) Italy 1977;
  • Galleria Padania – Reggiolo (RE) Italy 1977-1978;
  • Galleria dei Tribunali – Bologna, Italy 1979;
  • Arte Fiera (Pad.B.n°32) MERIGHI ARTE – Bologna, Italy 1979;
  • Hotel Apollo ITS – Montegrotto (Abano) Italy 1980;
  • ART.12381 Basel – MERIGHI ARTE’s Stand – Basel, Switzerland, 1981.

WORKS IN CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES IN BOLOGNA:

  • Church of San Severino – 1961- 1968, main altar and works in cement, terracotta and bronze.
  • Church of San Domenico Savio – 1962, statue of the Madonna with Child.
  • Institute of Santa Giuliana Confalonieri – 1968, statue of the saddened B.V. and bronze tabernacle.
  • Church of San Giuseppe ai Cappuccini – 1968, main altar, furnishings and bronze ambon.
  • Church of San Lorenzo – 1984, statue of the Saint and terracotta bas-reliefs.
  • Metropolitan Cathedral of San Pietro – chapel of San Carlo Borromeo: 1985, tomb of the Archbishop Enrico Manfredini, bronze haut-relief; 1987, tomb of Cardinal Archbishop Antonio Poma, bronze haut-relief.
  • Church of San Giovanni Bosco – 1987, statue group built in the centenary of the death of Don Bosco with the B.V., S. Giovanni Bosco and S. Domenico Savio, bronze.
  • Archbishop Seminary – 1988, bronze chapel tabernacle.
  • Church of San Gaetano – bronze ciborium, 1988.
  • Church of San Severino – 2000-2001, reliquary of San Severino bishop of Colonia, bronze.

 

WORKS IN OTHER BUILDINGS OF WORSHIP:

  • Church of San Niccolò – Agliana (Pistoia) 1965/66 main altar, bronze furnishings and cement crucifix.
  • Church of Santa Lucia – Ceretolo (BO) – crucifix, ciborium and baptismal font, wood and bronze, 1969.
  • Insignia Collegiate of San Pietro – Massafiscaglia (FE )1969/70, main altar and furnishings in cement and bronze.
  • Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Corba – Massafiscaglia (FE) terracotta portal, 1971/73; relief to “Free Time”, 1973.
  • Church of Sant’Appiano – Marozzo (FE): main altar, sculptures and furnishings in marble, wood and bronze, 1973-1974.
  • Church of San Michele – Olmi, Vignole (Pistoia) – design for altar, ciborium in bronze and glass, 1972.
  • Consortium Hospital Chapel – Bentivoglio (BO) 1972/73– altar, ciborium, cross and relief in terracotta with San Giuseppe Cottolengo.
  • Church of Santa Maria Assunta e del Beato Marco – Piane di Mocogno (MO) ciborium and furnishings in bronze, wood and terracotta, 1972.

 

WORKS IN THE CERTOSA TOWN CEMETERY (BOLOGNA):

  • Schiavina Chapel – bronze door (Campo degli Ospedali n°XLVIII), 1972.
  • Vacchi Verati Chapel – bronze door (Recinto 10, n°XX), 1978.
  • Memorial to the Aeronautical Victims of War – bronze 1983.
  • Lazzari Scandellari Chapel – bronze door (Campo degli Ospedali, n°LVI), 1984.
  • Setti tomb – “San Francesco” in bronze (Campo ex Fanciulli, n°8), 1990.
  • Stupazzoni tomb – marmble (Campo ex Fanciulli n°55), 1991.

For further examples, please see “La Certosa di Bologna” guide by Giovanna Pesci – Editrice Compositori 2001 Bologna.

 

OTHER CEMETERIES IN BOLOGNA AND PROVINCE:

  • Campeggi Chapel – 1970/71– cement and iron, Borgo Panigale.
  • Rizzoli Moretti Chapel – Quaderna cemetery, 1978 bronze door.
  • Papandrea Chapel – angel and furnishings in bronze, 1988/89.
  • Pancaldi Chapel – “Sposi” statue 1988/89, Borgo Panigale viale est-ovest n°20.
  • Lanzoni-Paltrinieri Chapel – (n.21) 1995/96 statue, gate and furnishings in bronze.
  • Silvestrini Sarcophagus – (n°40) San Lazzaro di Savena cemetery (BO) 2001/02 bronze.
  • Guidetti Chapel – Borgo Panigale 2008 “Core”, bronze.

 

MEDALS:

  • 75th foundation of the Committee for Historic Artistic Bologna – 1974 silver and bronze, cast f 52 mm;
  • Sanctuary of the B.V. of San Luca – 1975 bronze, cast f 60 mm;
  • Restoration of Costonzo – (14th C.), ancient School of Medicine in Vergato (Bologna), 1976 silver and bronze, cast f 52 mm;
  • Casalecchio di Reno – Town of Casalecchio di Reno (Bologna), 1977 silver and bronze, cast f 52 mm;
  • 5th Centenary of the “Battaja del Porcu” – Osimo (Ancona), 1978 silver and bronze, cast f 62 mm;
  • Palio della Balestra – town of Gubbio (Perugia), 1977 silver and bronze, cast f 51 mm;
  • 6th Centenary of the moving of the Shroud from Chambery to Turin – 1978 silver and bronze, cast f 51 mm;
  • S.A.C.R.O. – XXX of foundation 1938-1978 Osimo, silver and pewter, cast f 55 mm;
  • Restoration of the Reggiolo castle – Town of Reggiolo (RE), 1978 silver, bronze and pewter, cast f 53 mm;
  • ITS Art Editions – Osimo (Ancona), 1980 silver and bronze, cast and/or coining various f;
  • Italians in the world – Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 1978 bronze and pewter, cast f 80 mm;
  • Guglielmo Marconi – Bologna Chamber of Commerce, ASAER, Lions Valle del Reno, 1980 bronze, cast f 97 mm;
  • Dancers – diptych for the choreographies of Fabio Raffaelli and Fiorella Dé Pierantoni, 1982 bronze, cast f 90 mm;
  • 40th anniversary of the Marzabotto Massacre – town of Marzabotto (Bologna), 1984 silver and bronze, coining f 60 mm;
  • Ottaviano Bernabei biologist – Bologna University 1996, bronze, coining f 50 mm;
  • 150th anniversary of the Battle of 8th August 1848 – Resurgence Museum, town of Bologna, 1998 bronze, coining f 45 mm;
  • 1st Centenary of the Committee for Historic Artistic Bologna – 1999 silver and bronze, coining f 70 mm;
  • Rome Jubilee 2000 – ITS Art Editions, 1999 gold, silver and bronze, coining f 60 mm;
  • Mons. Giancarlo Cevenini – 2003 bronze, coining f 50 mm.

 

COMMEMORATIVE WORKS:

  • Livio Tempesta – 1978, Livio Tempesta elementary school (Bologna).
  • Guglielmo Marconi – Lions Valle del Reno, bronze 1980, Bologna airport.
  • P. Nascetti Military Chaplain – bronze 1984 , church of Santa Maria Assunta, Piane di Mocogno (Modena).
  • COTABO taxi drivers – experts in the massacre of 2nd August 1980 at Bologna station, 1986 bronze, COTABO headquarters.
  • Don Antonio Gavinelli – Salesian, founder of the Work of the Sacred Heart, Church of San Giovanni Bosco, Bologna 1988 bronze.
  • Master Alfeo Gigli – 1996, Philharmonic Academy Hall, Bologna Municipal Theatre.

 

BAS-RELIEFS FOR THE ARTISTIC EDUCATION OF THE BLIND:

Works promoted by the Bologna ‘Francesco Cavazza’ Institute for the Blind and coordinated by the ‘ANTEROS’ Tactile Museum of Ancient and Modern Painting , housed in the following museums:

  • Te Palace – Mantoa 2006 – series of eight reliefs reproducing scenes taken from sixteenth century fresco paintings;
  • “San Sebastiano” Museum – Mantua 2006, two reliefs reproducing works displayed;
  • N.I.S.E. National Institute of Special Education – Yokosuka (Kanegawa) Japan – 2007 relief of Utamaro’s print “Woman at the mirror”;
  • Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna Foundation – 2008, relief of the ‘Madonna of embroidery’ by Vitale from Bologna;
  • Carrara Academy – Bergamo 2009, relief of the portrait of “Lionello d’Este” from Pisanello;
  • Refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie – Milan 2009, relief of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper”.

 

 

COMPETITIONS AND PROJECTS:

  • Monument to the “Transporter” – 1972 Town of Massafiscaglia (FE).
  • “Temperance” and “Prudence” –1977 statues for Fossano hospital (Cuneo).
  • Door to the offices of the Bank of Sicily in Palermo – 1980/81 national competition.
  • Millenary Abbey of Santo Stefano – Bologna 1984, bronze f 24 cm.
  • City of Martyrs – Marzabotto 1984, bronze f 24 cm.
  • Monument to Ludovico Ariosto – 1988/89 Reggio Emilia.
  • Monument to Maria Plozer Mentil and the Carnia Arms Carriers – 1991 Paluzza (UD).
  • Vergato 2000 – town planning project – Schiavina Studio; 1994/96 drawings and sketches.
  • Monument to the “Ocarina player” – Budrio (BO) 2001 Ocarina Group, Ocarina Museum.
  • Monument to Count Giovanni Gozzadini – 2003 Comune di Castenaso (BO).

 

REFERENCES:

  • S.A.C.R.O. – Religious articles and silverware sector; Osimo (AN) 1969/80;
  • IMPRESA SCHIAVINA – Collaborations for the design of plastic works; Bologna 1972/2002;
  • ITS s.r.l. – Medals and silver casts; Osimo (AN) 1970/89;
  • MERIGHI ARTE – Models for lost wax casting, Bologna 1970/85;
  • PERCHE’ THEATRE – Art Company; Settings and masks, Bologna 1982/96;
  • MORUZZI’S GROUP – Collaborations for the creation of plastic works, Bologna 1996/99;
  • CAVAZZA INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND ANTEROS – Tactile Museum; development of bas-reliefs.