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Copyright the artist | | | Merz, Mario (1925 - 2003) Italy
Près de la Table, 1980
Mixed Media 0 x 0 cm Arte Povera
UID 102-375
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Biography
The Italian sculptor and painter began his career in the 50s, in Turin under the influence of the then dominant Informal Art style. After, in the mid 50s, having gone through a certain crisis in his work, Merz rejected the successive reproduction of images, replacing these traditional methods with the use of objects such as bottles or waterproof cloaks. In 1967-68, with the appearance of Arte Povera in Turin, he likewise rejected the use of these objects turning to objects which he himself produced, according to his needs. Merz moved increasingly towards conceptual and dematerialised art in which the mental aspect was more important than physical support, although both were ever present in the artist's work. In the 80s, he showed a renewed interest in colour, image and manual values through which he recovered picturesque aspects. He had favoured these at the beginning of his career, and they were now revived through conceptual abstract schemes and the constant use of neon. His objects and installations combine aspects of concrete and physical art with the immaterial aims of Conceptual Art. In 1972 and 1982, he took part in Documenta 5 and 7, in Kassel and, in 1976, at the Venice Biennale. In 1992, he returned to Kassel to take part in Documenta 9.
Exhibitions
Mario Merz Albert Baronian, Belgium 01-01-1980 ~ 30-12-1980
Mario Merz Institute of Contemporary Art, Japan 01-01-1988 ~ 31-12-1988
Mario Merz Palazzo Congressi ed Esposizioni, San Marino 01-11-1983 ~ 31-01-1984
Mario Merz The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of Art, USA 01-09-1989 ~ 30-11-1989
The Berardo Collection - A Voyage through the 20th Century Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo (SMAM-CB), Portugal 04-12-2004 ~ 30-04-2005
Building/Unbuilding/Inhabit - works of The Berardo Collection Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB), Portugal 29-04-2005 ~ 15-01-2006
Arte Povera in The Berardo Collection Centro das Artes Casa das Mudas, Calheta, Madeira, Portugal 15-10-2005 ~ 31-12-2005
The Berardo Collection Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo (SMAM-CB), Portugal 17-05-1997 ~ 31-08-1997
Colecção Berardo Collection 1917-1999 Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB), Portugal 27-01-2000 ~ 27-08-2000
Berardo Museum Opening Museu Colecção Berardo, Portugal 25-06-2007 ~ 09-09-2007
Arriscar o Real Museu Colecção Berardo, Portugal 08-06-2009 ~ 30-09-2009
Fragmentos Arte Contemporânea na Colecção Berardo MACE, Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Elvas, Portugal 24-09-2010 ~ 23-01-2011
Bibliography
Arte Povera in The Berardo Collection , 2005 Published by Centro das Artes - Casa das Mudas
Colecção Berardo Collection 1917-1999, 2000 Published by CCB - Centro Cultural de Belém ISBN 972817652X
Mario Merz, 1989 Published by Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Mario Merz, 1988 Published by Institute of Contemporary Art
Mario Merz, 1983 Published by Palazzo Congressi ed Esposizioni
The Berardo Collection – Sintra Museum of Modern Art, 1996 Published by Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo ISBN 9729739105
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