Maria Grazia De Stefani
Maria Grazia De Stefani was born on the 11th of April 1926 in San Giovanni in Persiceto. Together with her family she escapes into the nearby Apennines during the last year of war, reaching Bologna soon after the Liberation. She attends the Classical Lyceum until third class but quits because of the war. She learns German and English through private lessons and the latter knowledge will be important to find a secretarial job in post-war times at the Johns Hopkins University in Bologna. She also organizes a English language course for Italian students and privates, eager to learn the new international language (until then French).
Maria Grazia marries to Massimo De Stefani in 1949. He was a young chemist who had started a small paint workshop in Bologna and that in the ‘50s starts drawing and painting.
Meanwhile Maria Grazia’s poetic and artistic activity begins in 1977. Her writing tells her life story with an obsessive rhythm, that becomes more and more fragmented between 1987 and 1990, when she stars to express herself in a figurative-poetic way. This deviation, this breakthrough, highlights the need to express herself by means that go beyond the word but include it at the same time.
From 1977 to 1981 she prints with Gruppo Scrittura Bologna: "Little boxes" (1977), "Elusive America" (1979 '), "Frammenti" (1980), "Per strade e a proposito di lune e di tramonti" (1981).
In 1980 she participates at the realization of the performance "Di Grazie" in VHS-21. Producted by Gruppo Scrittura Bologna. Conceived and directed by Angela Marchionni. Written by M.G. De Stefani. Performed by Francesca Limoli and M.G. De Stefani.
In 1983 she was invited with the lyrics "Per strade e a proposito di lune e di tramonti" and "La parabola amorosa" to 'Due voci per un a solo'. Performance realized by Piero Benetti with readings by Edmorid Jabes, Ginestra Calzolari and Maria Grazia De Stefani. Musics by Maestro Marcello Zuffa. @ Galleria Franz Paludetto, Turin.
In 1984, the Gruppo Originale Radiofonico presents "La parabola amorosa" by Maria Grazia De Stefani and "Le streghette” by Ginestra Calzolari. Musics by Maestro Marcello Zuffa and Jonata. @ Segreto Pubblico, Bologna.
In 1985 she is invited to participate at the Exhibition "Tentare il Linguaggio" together with Ginestra Calzolari, Elijah Magò and Vanna Mignoli. @ Casa del Mantegna, Mantova.
In 1985 during the critical readings realized by Ida Cassetta and Marcello Zuffa of poems by Ginestra Calzolari and Maria Grazia De Stefani, she presents the text "Per strade e a proposito di lune e di tramonti". @ Italo-French Cultural Association, Bologna.
In 1986 she was invited to the Festival "Toccare lo spirito" (6 nights of readings by the "Dispacci" + 13 nights of readings “Pochi per pochi”) with the performance "Se il seme era di rosa", dancers Angela Marchionni and Clotilde Tiradritti. May-June 1986, @ Teatro del Guerriero, Bologna.
From 1987 to 1991 she creates several art works:
NARCISO
IN MEDIO STAT
AND I AM THE ARROW
S R A D A D A
MAGIC BLACK
AND FIRE
FORTUNATAMENTE LA PRIMAVERA FIORISCE ANCHE A PARIGI
CHE DI LUCE RI-DE
WOHIN
I HAD A DREAM
In 1988 the works AND I AM THE ARROW and S R A D A D A are set out in Ginestra Calzolari's house.
In 1990 IN FIRE was exhibited in De Diseño space, Via Caldarese 1/2 °, Bologna
In 1991 the works WOHIN and CHE DI LUCE RI-DE were exhibited at the Italo-French Cultural Association, Bologna.
In 1991 the work WOHIN was exhibited in the installation "Les fils - les escaliers" in relation to Ginestra Calzolari's text. @ Italo-French Cultural Association.
In 1991 MAGIC BLACK was exhibited in De Diseño space, Via Caldarese 1/2 °, Bologna.
In her life she always loved knitting: vests, sweaters, scarves; each artifact had a very unique construction related to the choice of the yarn and to the manufacture. Each piece was characterized by "a wanted mistake": a flag, a colorful little window, a triangle, a dropped stitch, a passed over stitch, a tone-on-tone checkerboard, a circle of another color.
Maria Grazia's visual poetry entered in her knitted masterpieces as in her paper works.
Maria Grazia De Stefani was born on the 11th of April 1926 in San Giovanni in Persiceto. Together with her family she escapes into the nearby Apennines during the last year of war, reaching Bologna soon after the Liberation. She attends the Classical Lyceum until third class but quits because of the war. She learns German and English through private lessons and the latter knowledge will be important to find a secretarial job in post-war times at the Johns Hopkins University in Bologna. She also organizes a English language course for Italian students and privates, eager to learn the new international language (until then French).
Maria Grazia marries to Massimo De Stefani in 1949. He was a young chemist who had started a small paint workshop in Bologna and that in the ‘50s starts drawing and painting.
Meanwhile Maria Grazia’s poetic and artistic activity begins in 1977. Her writing tells her life story with an obsessive rhythm, that becomes more and more fragmented between 1987 and 1990, when she stars to express herself in a figurative-poetic way. This deviation, this breakthrough, highlights the need to express herself by means that go beyond the word but include it at the same time.
From 1977 to 1981 she prints with Gruppo Scrittura Bologna: "Little boxes" (1977), "Elusive America" (1979 '), "Frammenti" (1980), "Per strade e a proposito di lune e di tramonti" (1981).
In 1980 she participates at the realization of the performance "Di Grazie" in VHS-21. Producted by Gruppo Scrittura Bologna. Conceived and directed by Angela Marchionni. Written by M.G. De Stefani. Performed by Francesca Limoli and M.G. De Stefani.
In 1983 she was invited with the lyrics "Per strade e a proposito di lune e di tramonti" and "La parabola amorosa" to 'Due voci per un a solo'. Performance realized by Piero Benetti with readings by Edmorid Jabes, Ginestra Calzolari and Maria Grazia De Stefani. Musics by Maestro Marcello Zuffa. @ Galleria Franz Paludetto, Turin.
In 1984, the Gruppo Originale Radiofonico presents "La parabola amorosa" by Maria Grazia De Stefani and "Le streghette” by Ginestra Calzolari. Musics by Maestro Marcello Zuffa and Jonata. @ Segreto Pubblico, Bologna.
In 1985 she is invited to participate at the Exhibition "Tentare il Linguaggio" together with Ginestra Calzolari, Elijah Magò and Vanna Mignoli. @ Casa del Mantegna, Mantova.
In 1985 during the critical readings realized by Ida Cassetta and Marcello Zuffa of poems by Ginestra Calzolari and Maria Grazia De Stefani, she presents the text "Per strade e a proposito di lune e di tramonti". @ Italo-French Cultural Association, Bologna.
In 1986 she was invited to the Festival "Toccare lo spirito" (6 nights of readings by the "Dispacci" + 13 nights of readings “Pochi per pochi”) with the performance "Se il seme era di rosa", dancers Angela Marchionni and Clotilde Tiradritti. May-June 1986, @ Teatro del Guerriero, Bologna.
From 1987 to 1991 she creates several art works:
NARCISO
IN MEDIO STAT
AND I AM THE ARROW
S R A D A D A
MAGIC BLACK
AND FIRE
FORTUNATAMENTE LA PRIMAVERA FIORISCE ANCHE A PARIGI
CHE DI LUCE RI-DE
WOHIN
I HAD A DREAM
In 1988 the works AND I AM THE ARROW and S R A D A D A are set out in Ginestra Calzolari's house.
In 1990 IN FIRE was exhibited in De Diseño space, Via Caldarese 1/2 °, Bologna
In 1991 the works WOHIN and CHE DI LUCE RI-DE were exhibited at the Italo-French Cultural Association, Bologna.
In 1991 the work WOHIN was exhibited in the installation "Les fils - les escaliers" in relation to Ginestra Calzolari's text. @ Italo-French Cultural Association.
In 1991 MAGIC BLACK was exhibited in De Diseño space, Via Caldarese 1/2 °, Bologna.
In her life she always loved knitting: vests, sweaters, scarves; each artifact had a very unique construction related to the choice of the yarn and to the manufacture. Each piece was characterized by "a wanted mistake": a flag, a colorful little window, a triangle, a dropped stitch, a passed over stitch, a tone-on-tone checkerboard, a circle of another color.
Maria Grazia's visual poetry entered in her knitted masterpieces as in her paper works.