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Ever since we met we have always wanted the possibility to work together, which was very original at the time, certainly when accomplished by two persons in a close relationship. We have always worked ‘together’ but each of us on his or her own, facing the work of the Other, each of us in one’s own proper space of creativity: absolute artistic freedom in a soul-binding itimacy. A sculpure, even from the first period, the so called ‘before me’ could invoke a poem, a poem written prior to our meeting could inspire Guidi or vice-versa, which is the reason for the title Poem Sculptures or Sculptures Poem. Certain atmospheres are felt as to the work of one or the other, we remained quite personal but through this ‘difference’ a fusion existed.
Guidi and Paul Belmondo (author of the preface of our collection) Guidi was a good draughtsman and looked upon drawing as a basic technique which was absolutely indispensable. But for all that, as he looked at his work from a disctance, he did not consider his work, his drawings or sketches very imprortant. Guidi had a great esteem for Paul Belmondo’s technique and was rather envious of his inspiration... and his muse... , he being of a certain age and at the end of his carreer, they often talked about the absolute need to draw every day, as the musician practises one’s scales. This well-known sculptor worked as the student he remained, in all humility, in his badly heated, old studio near Montparnasse. He was grateful to my father for saving it, my father being at the time the right hand of Bernard Lafay, mayor of Paris. That is how they met, and it turned out quite productive. Paul Belmondo, such sweet personality with a dazzling talk, quite small, but very sophistocated, loved to bring up his son Jean-Paul, he with the looks of a villain to become a film star: “One should remain humble, you know: there was a time people said ‘Jean-Paul Belmondo, ah yes... the son of the sculptor!’ and now people say ‘Paul Belmondo, the sculptor, ah yes... the father of the actor!’ Paul Belmondo would always remain an example for Guidi, as was Picasso, a genuine artistic model, an as a token of his friendship and his esteem for our joined work he wrote a lovely preface for our collection, here enclosed.
