Mario Merz in Argentina

Beginning the second half of October, the Proa Foundation is excited to present an exhibition by renowned Italian artist Mario Merz. Mario Merz is one of the founders of “Arte Povera,” a movement which sprung forth in Italy in 1967. The sucess of this movement, as well as the success Mario’s work results from his ability to utilize materials from daily life in a way that contributes surprising, creative ideas to contemporary art.

Mario’s exhibit will be divided in two parts. One aspect of the show presents the historical works of Mario Merz from the 1960s and 70s in order to illustrate the impact his artwork has made in the history of contemporary art. Additionally, Mario Merz will create projects uniquely made for the Proa Foundation. These projects consist of two installations in the ground floor rooms and one neon installation on the facade of the building. These special pieces incorporate the Proa building into Mario’s artwork in an exciting, innovative way.

Mario Merz will be in Buenos Aires for three months, while creating the unique installations for the Proa Foundation. These special works are truly a milestone for the history of Argentinean art.

This exhibition could not take place without the help of the curator in charge, Danilo Eccher, a renowned historian of contemporary art, independent curator and author of numerous critical texts. The sponsors of this exposition, Tenaris and the Techint Organization and the Italian Embassy in Argentina, have also made this exposition possible.

Life and work of Mario Merz

Mario Merz was born in Milan on January 1, 1925. In his teens, he moved to Turin where he studied medicine for two years at the University degli Studi de Torino. During World War II he joined the anti-facist group “Justica y Libertad” (Justice and Liberty). In 1945, he was arrested, and while in prison he drew incessantly on any material within his reach. In 1950, he began to use oil paints on fabric. His first exhibition took place in Turin in 1954 in the “La Bussola” Gallery. Here, he presented works whose organic images are considered acutal representatives of the environmentalist movement. Around 1966, Merz began to utilize such objects as bottles, umbrellas, raincoats and neon pipes into his works.

In 1967, a group of Italian artists created the famous movement known as “Arte Povera.” This group consists of Michelangelo Pistoletto, Kounellis, Alighiero Boetti, Mario Merz, and also his wife Marisa Merz. This historical artistic movement was born in response to the consumerism of the capitalist society and the dehuminazation of daily life. This asethetic incorporates the utilization Merz´s organic materials from daily life, creating surprising works which have contributed to a new, closer look on the contemporary aesthetic.

In 1968, Mario adopoted the “iglu” as his most important trademark. The famous iglu of Mario Merz was realized throughout his life in different materials and almost all of the museums of the world have showed them. He utilized as much glass as metal, clay, stone or branches, and frequently incorporated phrases from political or literary legends in his neon pipes.

Merz´s work forms a part of the most important collections of contemporary art museums and have participated in the most outstanding exhibitions of contemporary art. His extensive work and international recognition stems not only from Arte Povera but also from his abilities as a conceptual artist. The magnitude and importance of his creative works are the reason he is one of the most represented contemporary artists from the second half of the twentieth century.

At the Proa Foundation Mario will realize a “Iglu” and with his famous neon pipes, he will create a formula by the Italian mathematic Fibonacci. This exciting creation will surely be a new, interesting experience for the Proa Foundation and the people of Buenos Aires.

Mario Merz´s exhibition will be a historical occassion for Argentinean art. This exposition will be the first time his artwork has been presented in our country. The Proa Foundation is excited to house his works for this landmark ocassion.

Pressetext

Mario Merz in Argentina
Conjunto de obras de arte histórico (1960) y proyectos especiales de instalaciones para el interior y la fachada de la Fundación Proa