PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK "RUDOLF LEITNER-GRÜNDERG. IL SENSO DELLA GRANDEZZA"

The story behind the book will be told by Artoni, Assmann and Bertelli themselves, who are also the curators of the major site-specific monographic exhibition running until 27 September at the Polironian Monastic Complex in San Benedetto Po (Mantua) – the largest ever organised in honour of the Austrian master. The book and the exhibition, staged in the Polironian Civic Museum, the Chapter House and the monastic Refectory, showcase the work of Rudolf Leitner-Gründberg, an international artist born in 1955 in Gründberg (Linz – Upper Austria) and currently based in Bubendorf (Wolfsbach – Lower Austria), one of the most important and brilliant European painters of today, who studied at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna under Bazon Brock and Oswald Oberhuber and has been exhibiting since 1980 both in Austria and abroad. The exhibition is organised by the Postumia Association under the patronage and in collaboration with the Municipality of San Benedetto Po, and with the support of Allgemeine Sparkasse Oberösterreich, Oberösterreichische Versicherung, Kunsthandel Freller and Dr Klaus Haslinger.

The title of the exhibition and the book, *Il senso della grandezza* (The Sense of Greatness), is inspired by a reflection by the artist himself, who notes: “Ultimately, the meaning of art is that when we look at, listen to or read a work, we are reminded of our highest potential”. As the curators write: “As with almost no other contemporary artist, Rudolf Leitner-Gründberg’s Kunstwollen – that is, his artistic desire – is constantly directed towards humanity’s ‘highest potential’. His paintings and installations express this orientation towards the sublime and towards something greater than ourselves. The mysterious, shimmering splendour of gold, as well as the depth of the colour blue, are the starting points for his artistic practice – compositions that confidently combine the perception of nature, cultural references, aspects of everyday life and the expression of human personality. Through his art, the viewer is led to turn towards the highest concepts and to embrace their own vision of broader horizons.” The exhibition is open to the public until 27 September, on Saturdays and Sundays from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 3 pm to 6 pm. Info: tel. 0376 623036, info@turismosanbenedetto.it