Any member of the Choate community who has recently visited the PMAC has likely seen an array of terracotta sculptures displayed across the Arts Center. These sculptures make up the first gallery exhibition of the 2007-2008 school year. The exhibit, dubbed “Mr. & Mrs.,” opened on September 17th and features the art of Bruno Lucchesi and his wife, Ann Rosow-Lucchesi.

Bruno Lucchesi, born in Lucca, Italy in 1926, received his degree from the Art Institute of Lucca, Italy, and later moved to Florence to become an assistant professor at the local Art Academy. In New York City, he taught art at the National Academy of Design and at the New School of Social Research. In addition, Lucchesi has educated youth across Europe and the United States through numerous sculpting workshops. His work has been displayed in about fifteen museums and over fifty public collections, and he has written books covering techniques for working with terracotta and modeling heads and figures in clay. An acclaimed artist across the globe, Bruno Lucchesi has received commissions, honors, and awards since 1953, when he was a mere 27 years old. He is primarily a sculptor but has also painted.

Ann Rosow-Lucchesi, a native of Hartford, Connecticut, and a graduate of the University of Hartford and Ithaca College with degrees in Fine Arts and Business Finance respectively, has taught at three schools and has received a dozen commissions, along with several awards. She specializes in sculpting in clay and bronze.

The “Mr. & Mrs.” exhibition primarily features sculptures depicting scenes of men, women, and children. There are 48 pieces in the exhibition, of which 27 are displayed in the main gallery and 21 in the theater gallery. Mr. Bob Mellon, the gallery director, said, “My favorite piece is called ‘Changing.’ I think [Bruno Lucchesi] captures a really interesting innocence in a 3-D piece. You see this exposed emotion that I didn’t expect to find in sculpture.”

The collection, which Choate parents who collect the works of both Lucchesi and Rosow-Lucchesi recommended, is, says Mr. Mellon, “the real deal.” He explained, “I feel very lucky to have brought these artists in. Bruno is a very established artist. Lucchesi art is collected all around the world and it is a privilege to have their work and to expose students to such high quality sculptures.”

The group of faculty members who determine which artists will be featured in our gallery exhibitions includes Mr. Mellon, Mr. Tines, and other visual arts teachers. The process of introducing new artists to the Choate community is one that “happens over a long period of time where we are always bouncing ideas off each other,” said Mr. Mellon.

The current exhibition will be on display until November 17. Other exhibitions that will be shown this year include the photography of James Kasson and Jeff Gale, Choate graduates in 1960 and 1909, respectively, and the paintings of Martin Mugar. There will also be student exhibitions and a Visual Arts Faculty Biennale later this year.