Burri e Pistoia

was that he was not at all easy to approach. Later I understood why:
the artist devoted his whole day to his creations, and didn’t like to be
distracted from them.
“In 1976 Amendola, just back from New York, went to see Fazzini, who lived
on Passeggiata di Ripetta in Rome, right next door to Burri; imagining that
the two knew each other, he asked the sculptor if it was really so difficult to get
an appointment with the Umbrian artist. Fazzini knew that his painter friend
was loth to grant appointments, but was aware of Amendola’s quality. Sure
that Burri too would be able to appreciate that quality, he invited him to meet a
good friend, omitting, deliberately, to say that he was a photographer, in order
not to put him off.”
CS: Did you know that it was Fazzini who noticed Burri’s talent right from his
first exhibition in Rome at the Margherita, in 1947, and who introduced him
into various circles, so that he would get the recognition he deserved?
AA: I was not aware of the special bond between them. A long time
afterward, Fazzini revealed to me that in 1952 he had intervened on
his behalf to get his work shown at the Biennale! I never told Burri
about this conversation. It was a surprise when, in the last years of our
association, he confided to me that it was something he had never said
before, but he felt he owed a debt to his sculptor friend.
Going back to that day, Burri accepted the invitation and joined us.
Fazzini introduced me to him as the young photographer who was
working for him and enthusiastically declared his appreciation of my
pictures. Burri’s expression was discouraging: he pulled a face that said
clearly: “Another pain in the neck!” In contrast to what had happened
with other artists, the fact that I was Marini’s photographer seemed not
to impress him in the slightest.
He told me he was leaving for engagements, first in Japan and then in
the United States, and that I would not be able to contact him again for
three months. It seemed to be a polite way of getting rid of me. But he
did give me, the telephone number of his home in Città di Castello and,
Alberto Burri, Città
di Castello, 1976
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