Luisa Rota Sperti

LUISA ROTA SPERTI

biography


Home > Biography

Luisa Rota Sperti, born in Lecco, lives and draws in Mandello, at the foot of the Grigne.
She began drawing in 1972 and she has (almost) never left her first tool: pencil.

From the beginning, mountains have been her beloved theme, starting from the great cycles
Signore degli Anelli (Lord of the Rings, 1979-1982, 33 panels) and Buddhacärita (1986-1989, in 21 panels).

It is the "metaphysical" mountain to inspire the cross-shaped polyptych Francesco e gli uccelli
(Francis of Assisi and the birds) inspired to Gregory Corso (exhibited in 1993 by Franco Maria Ricci) and the triptych Milarepa: his Crimes, his Tests and his Redemption.
Sacre Montagne (Holy Mountains1992-1993, 24 panels) flanks them, a trip between the sacred mountains
of our world.

In 1994, for the first time, she focuses her attention on Monte Pelmo (Mount Pelmo, 8 panels).

In the alternate of rocky and symbolic mountains,
Monasteri delle Meteore (Meteors' Monasteries,1995, 19 panels) and Dieci Tori (Ten Bulls) are born, deeply autobiographical works, followed in 1997 by Vitae Patrum (The Lives of the Desert Fathers) where it is the heart of the rocks to speak with hermits' voice.

In the same year it follows the Racconto di un pellegrino russo (Tale of a Russian Pilgrim, 4 panels) with an homage to Allen Ginsberg, exhibited in Rome with explanatory texts by Carlo Ghielmetti.

Five panels dedicated to the Dolomiti (The Dolomites) precedes the symbolic pilgrimage of
Viaggiatori incantati e pellegrini (Enchanted Travellers and Pilgrims) through ancient Tibet upon the tracks of explorers, climbers, missionaries, ended by a Reinhold Messner portrait.

In 2000 Pino, la morte e il Pelmo (Pino, the Death and the Pelmo Mountain) is born, a tale written and drawn around the famous dolomitic peak ("my own Kailãs", as Luisa says) animated by a "magic boy" in touch with the natural elements. This work has been inspired by Luisa's voluntary activity since 1989 in the mental health ward of Lecco hospital. In the same year 2000, the Bellinzona Art Gallery in Milan organizes a wide anthological exhibition, with a catalogue presented by Alfredo Chiappori.
This year is crowned with the printing of the Calendario Grigne: dodici guide e un poeta (Mountain calendar: Grigne 12 Guides and a Poet) where the famous Dolomites' alpine guides pay a visit to the Grigne's alpine refuges.

The stories of the great "heroic" alpinism, mediated by Dino Buzzati's tales, are run through again in the great cycle Dalle cattedrali della terra ai sentieri del cielo (From Earth Cathedrals to the Sky Paths, 32 panels 2000-2002) exhibited in Valmadrera and Belluno during important alpine shows and presented by Roberto Mantovani.

Social issues inspired the Mappa del mondo (World's map) a perpetual calendar in twelve panels, with a text by don Angelo Casati.

The biography of the alpinist Casimiro Ferrari inspires the polyptych Nessun uomo è un'isola (No Man is an Island) dedicated to the "king of Patagonia". Around him there are teachers, friends and followers, among them Riccardo Cassin, Carlo Mauri, Walter Bonatti.
The Patagonia is shown also in big acrylic patterns dedicated to her most famous peaks and in the engraving Cerro Torre, in which she avails herself of the generous help of Giancarlo Vitali.

Among the works of the last years, there is a fairy-tale/portrait in five panels featuring Mauro Corona, inspired to the tragedy of the Vajont.
It is also possible to find some of her works in the "high" shelters on the Grigne: Elisa, Bietti, Rosalba, Brioschi and Bogani. In the Dolomites Pino, la morte e il Pelmo (Pino, the Death and the Pelmo Mountain) becomes Camminarte (WalkingArt): a route inside the refuges, where the eleven panels will permanently be exposed at the sight of each peak that has inspired them.
The exhibitions "in altitude" reach their top in 2006 with the exhibition dedicated to Dino Buzzati
hosted by the "Messner Mountain Museum Dolomites", the "Museum in the Clouds" on Monte Rite. The Kailash cycle, from June 2007, is a property of the Messner Mountain Museum; now, it is at Castel Firmiano, awaiting for a final placing.
From April 22nd to 4 May 2008 Luisa exhibited an Anthological of the Dolomites at the Trento Film Festival.