Fabrizio Plessi, Pioneer of Italian Video Art, Dies at 86

Fabrizio Plessi, a pioneering figure in Italian video art, passed away yesterday at the age of 86 in Dolo, Italy. Born in Reggio Emilia in 1940, Plessi had a long and significant relationship with La Biennale di Venezia, participating in numerous editions of the International Art Exhibition, including the 35th in 1970, the 42nd in 1986 with Bronx, and the 54th in 2011 with Mari Verticali. He also presented works at the Venice Film Festival's Officina Veneziana section in 1981 and 1982. Plessi was instrumental in bringing electronic image, television, and video into the exhibition space, transforming them into the very material of art. His work often explored the interplay between natural elements like water, fire, and earth, and technology. Notable works include Acquabiografico (1973), A morte Venezia (1976), and Bronx (1986). He collaborated with artists such as Frédéric Flamand and Michael Nyman, and created electronic scenography for Luciano Pavarotti's concert in Central Park in 1993. His large-scale installations were exhibited in venues worldwide, including Expo 2000 in Hannover and the Kistefos-Museet. In 2020, he created L'Età dell'Oro for the Museo Correr in Venice. La Biennale di Venezia expressed deep sorrow at his passing, noting his role in anticipating transformations in contemporary language. His archive, including 60 catalogs, is preserved in the Biennale's Historical Archive.