Farewell to Giovanni Anselmo, great exponent of Arte Povera

Artist John Anselm, one of the founders ofArte Povera, died yesterday in Turin at the age of 89. He was born in Borgofranco d’Ivrea on August 5, 1934, and, after classical studies, had begun his artistic career as a self-taught artist and made his debut in 1967 in a group exhibition organized by the Sperone Gallery in Turin. He later took part in many exhibitions of the Arte Povera group, along with others such as Giuseppe Penone, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Gilberto Zorio (his debut with the group in 1968 at the Galleria de’ Foscherari in Bologna). In 1968 the first solo show at Galleria Sperone and then later the success culminating in participation in three editions of the Venice Biennale: in 1978, 1980 and 1990. Two also participated in Documenta (1972 and 1982). In 1990 he also won the Golden Lion for painting. His last exhibition, a major retrospective in 2022 at the Lia Rumma Gallery in Milan. Awards also include the “President of the Republic” award from the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca obtained in 2016.

Among Anselmo’s most representative works is Torsione (1968), which consists of moleskin fabric held in torsion by a thin iron bar. The work represents an attempt to capture a dynamic and transitory moment, emphasizing the role of time and nature in his artistic practice. Moreover, Anselmo always saw this work as a “gesture,” since through the twisting the work pushes against the wall but the bar contains the fabric that would otherwise not retain its position. Also famous are his works made with blocks of granite often suspended or held in balance with cables: these are the best-known developments in his research on sculpture as a manifestation of energy, since his works are based on the balance between the forces of the elements that compose them.

Anselmo’s works, said the artist himself, represent “the physicalization of the force of an action, the energy of a situation or event, not the experience of this at the level of annotation or sign or still life only. It is necessary, for example, for the energy of a twist to live with true force; it would certainly not live with its form alone. I think that to work in this direction, since energy exists under the most varied appearances and situations, there is a need for the most absolute freedom of choice or use of materials.” Anselmo described his objects as “physical energy”:“forces are channeled and directed to a point in such a way that the result, from time to time, is a situation of unstable equilibrium, of potential movement, of tension, of compression to which the structures and visual elements of my objects are subordinated.”

Anselmo’s practice reflects his deep connection with nature and his understanding of temporality and transformation. Through the use of simple, poor materials and the search for an intimate connection between the artwork and the viewer, Anselmo contributed significantly to the definition and evolution of Arte Povera as an art movement. His work continues to be studied and appreciated for its ability to challenge artistic conventions and to question the very concept of a work of art, evoking complex concepts through the use of simple means.

Anselmo was working on an exhibition for the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain scheduled to open in February. His work will also be included in a major exhibition on Arte Povera, curated by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, opening at the Bourse de Commerce in Paris next fall. “I loved him enormously,” the curator wrote upon learning of his passing. “He oriented me, showed me the meaning of the blue beyond the sea, overseas, far away and yet here, now, alive.”

Farewell to Giovanni Anselmo, great exponent of Arte Povera

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.