“La Gazzetta di Ferrara”, November 1973
Critical review by Eleonora Cavallini

Animism in Michelangelo Perghem Gelmi’s artistic production.
We feel it is useless to try and categorize Perghem Gelmi’s overflowing Animism within logical and formal boundaries. In front of the paintings by this Trentino artist, currently exhibiting at the “La Faretra” Gallery, the only possibility we have is to be drawn into his dream of luxuriant trees and plants, characterized by a vitality which is very nearly human.
Fair enough, Perghem Gelmi is on an artistic path which is not difficult to trace. He started from a Post-Impressionist heritage, which was then re-worked through the influences of the Turin cultural scene and took a decisive turn when he encountered the living, scorching South American art. Indeed, we can see that he moved away from a soft, muffled atmosphere, all suffused with pale grey tones, to a warmer, more sensual palette more in keeping with the new nature of his paintings: a myriad of broken, Baroque fantasies are given unity by his rigorous style. Perghem Gelmi’s paintings are offered up to the viewers In this form, giving them a direct impression, which does not leave room for discussion.
As a matter of fact, although the artist himself states that he often draws inspiration from his dreams, I do not intend to plunge into difficult psychological analysis, searching for Freudian motives which are inevitably present in the dream-like quality of his themes (one for all, the omnipresent eyes). They are there unintentionally or devoid of a particular conscious meaning anyway. In other words, Perghem Gelmi’s works do not wish to convey messages separated from the paintings themselves. His only aim is to represent a version of reality given by an instinctive mind, a master of synthesis. The leit motif of the gazing eye appears repeatedly throughout the paintings, because, in the artist’s words, it is “the most beautiful form in nature”, thus revealing the aesthetical nature of his choice of theme. I feel Perghem Gelmi’s refined Surrealism should be seen in this manner: wide-eyed water plants gazing out from the depths of a never-ending morning. Or dreamy, floating dead spirits looking like dark-winged birds. Or dazzling melting pots of faces, telephone numbers, feathers, fish and humorous little priest figures. Finally, a special mention goes to the series of litographs dedicated to the Isle of Ischia, in which the vibrant emotions are created by a rigorous formal exercise unique emotions are evocked through a simplicity of trait and colour.

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