Without any embarrassment we can recognize that , if there is the International Ex Libris " The il “Bosco Stregato” (The Enchanted Woods) this is thanks to Remo Palmirani, and also because of him , as president of the jury, we have the first edition in 2004 , reserved only for guests, but many other artists sent works (all high profile) that were accepted out of competition .
It was an epic edition with a conference on the appeal of the Ex Libris held in Bra which was a great success. Artists such as Roberto Tonelli, Jury Jacovenko , Patrick Aubert , John Verna (just to name a few) participated in that edition. To these artists we dedicated a deepening in our site.
With this admission we don’ t absolutely deny or underestimate the value of the project "The Enchanted Woods " (which is not just about ex Libris , but also painting , sculpture , mosaics and graffiti and unpublished short stories ). After the untimely death of Remo Palmirani we have the task of developing and cultivating the other issues that are dedicated to him with the support of the heirs of his family . He had a role as an exegete of Ex Libris that we are not able to collect , but only to honor .
Remo Palmirani (1943 - 2005) was a valuable geriatricia ; for passion, he became interested for many years in Ex Libris , both as a collector and as a scholar . In 1987 he founded the Academy of the Ex Libris , which work together many of the most famous Italian and foreign artists and collectors . He organized , as well as " The Enchanted Woods " , numerous international competitions of Ex-Libris, curating exhibitions in several European cities, publishing more than thirty volumes, especially dedicated to Art Nouveau, Ex Libris Jewish, Masonic and more.
He directed the series " The contemporary European Ex- Libris" , in which he published monographs dedicated to Slovak , Ukrainian , Italian and Poles artists, working in the most important magazines of European studies of ex-libris. Of particular interest is the magazine Utz inspired the eponymous short story by Bruce Chatwin .
Remo Palmirani was responsible for the founding of the Museum Ex Libris Mediterraneo – Progetti Farnesiani ( presenting the works of the best Italian and foreign artist of yesterday and today) and the organization of exhibitions exclusively of Ex Libris in prestigious art galleries both public and private . This has stimulated the interest of important Academies of Fine Arts allowing their students to admire works of great engravers – such as Albin Brunowsky -and also toperform their own original Ex Libris , after a series of lectures.