The work of Roberta Bernabei operates in the intriguing region between sculpture, and what is usually referred to as jewellery. At its most profound the latter can exceed the conventional expectations of the craft, and become more than an accoutrement to the human figure. By so doing it can enhance our understanding of the human form, and create original and poignant interpretations of its physical and psychological being. Bernabei’s art does indeed offer us original and poignant interpretations of the human form. It is part of a distinctive lineage stretching back beyond prehistory, involving artefacts ogf gold and bronze that were made to be worn. Pre-eminent in this endeavour are the Mycenaens. But although their architecture informs us about how they built their cities, it is the surviving artefacts that they wore that give us deep insights into how they projected various psychological states, such as the readiness for combat; and how they envisaged and enhanced beauty, through the crafting of a necklace, or other facial and body adornment. These artefacts also give us very accurate anthropometric information relating to their size weight and culturally prescriptive actions. The result of this is that although we will never be able to see these people, we can develop an informative picture of them through some of the artefacts they wore, we do this by filling in the spaces, as it were, that reside under and between these artefacts. This notion of the artefact relating to key aspects of our anatomy, can give us just enough information to construct the human figure I, is of vital importance to Bernabei’s work. Perhaps one way of describing how she presents her work would be to call the artefacts ‘samples’, they represent the essence of something much larger, which they enable our imaginations to create. For instance ‘Ice Ring’ becomes an affirmation of the female hand, to which the finger is the key, the latter framed by the almost visceral and translucent quality of the surrounding ice. In works such as ‘Object’ the human body becomes the subject, and actual physical impressions of anatomical detail, are transposed into alginate; and then held in suspension by the surrounding silicone from which it seeks its release. Never obvious, always ineffably subtle, Roberta’s creations are compelling, giving us deep insights into our physical and psychological being, its potency, and its vulnerability.
Andrew Stonyer
Professor in Fine Art
April, 2003.