Giovanni Thermes Biography
Giovanni Thermes was born in Cagliari in 1921. He is the son of Alfonso Efisio Thermes, a well-known photographer in Cagliari in the first half of the twentieth century, from whom he inherited the passion for photography, learning its art and craft. With his sister Rita, also an important painter, he shared a love for art. Together in the immediate post-war period they participated in important exhibitions in Sardinia, and then made the important decision to move initially to Rome and subsequently to Naples. Many relationships were established in these cities with the artistic, cultural and political world. In Rome he participated, among other things, in the VIII and IX four-yearly contemporary art exhibitions, artistic events of national importance which also included other important Sardinian artists as participants, such as, in addition to his sister Rita, Melchiorre Melis, Pietro Antonio Manca, Mauro Manca, Ausonio Tanda, Mario Delitala, Francesca Devoto, Bernardino Palazzi and Giuseppe Magnani. He established collaborative relationships with the newspaper l'Unità and probably through this collaboration he consolidated relationships with Moravia, Guttuso and Trombadori. The painter Marella Micheli, who became his wife and with whom he went to settle permanently in Naples, also took part in the VIII Roman quadriennial. In the Neapolitan city, together with his wife, he opened an art and photography studio in Via Manzoni, which also became an interesting meeting point for artists, art critics and photographers, but also a place where young people could train and learn. Among these we cannot forget Mimmo Jodice who is today one of the most qualified photographers operating at a national level. Giovanni Thermes passed away in Naples in 1995. His works are now part of important public and private collections. His artistic career ranks him among the most interesting Sardinian artists of the second half of the twentieth century.
