Arte Povera: Origins, Key Figures, and Philosophy of the Italian Movement

So, the term Arte Povera was first coined by Italian critic Germano Celant back in 1967, and this artistic movement really took off in northern Italy from then until 1972, especially in cities like Turin, Rome, and Milan. Celant launched the movement with his key exhibition called 'Im Spazio' at Galleria La Bertesca in 1967. This style pushed against traditional art by using 'poor' materials to express thoughts on urbanization and the art market. Influenced by Lucio Fontana, notable artists included Giovanni Anselmo, Alighiero Boetti, and others. Some standout works are Anselmo's 'Scultura che mangia' from 1968 and Pistoletto's 'Venus of the Rags' from 1967. In 2017, Marisa Merz, at the age of 90, had her first solo show at the Met Breuer.