Lorenz, Angela – Urban Traces No. 1. Bologna.
(Lorenz, Angela) Urban Traces No. 1. Bologna. Wax rubbings by Angela Lorenz. [Bologna. 1993.] 11.25″ x 9.25″. Extended – 68.3″. Accordion fold sheet of Japanese rice paper. Tan cloth boards with upper cover stamped at Stamperia Valdonega to a design of an Art Nouveau vent. No. 16 in an edition of 20 copies, signed by Angela Lorenz. Fine.
“This edition is the first of what will be a series of books on cities made of rubbings from their historical and contemporary surfaces. … The university also erected many buildings, including a tower for a stronomy. Perhaps most significantly for Bologna’s modern appearance was the extension of the facade of each building, above the sidewalk, to create extra rooms for university students. This resulted in thirty kilometers of arcades, supported by columns with varied capitals, which even today protect pedestrians from rain and hot sun.
“As bronze reliefs in the past were commonly cast using wax, … Wax was used to create the imagery of the book – through rubbing. The title and text were cut into linoleum, as were eight sets of arches with columns, studies from original columns and capitals present today in Bologna. Under the arches are rubbings of two ecclesiastic inscriptions, a modern sewer manhole, a radiator cover from the main building of the university, a Roman inscription and the virgo symbol from the meridian in San Petronio. Preceding the [text] is a rubbing of a metal vent cover and following it is an Art Deco sidewalk vent from Via D’Azeglio. Inside the covers are checkered aqueduct manholes and part of the meridian from the floor of San Petronio.” – Lorenz.
Related items: Catalogue 37 - Summer 2009, Angela Lorenz