Fabrizio Plessi, Pioneer of Video Art, Dies at 86

Fabrizio Plessi, a pioneering Italian video artist known for merging natural elements with technology, died at the age of 86. Born in Reggio Emilia on April 3, 1940, and deeply connected to Venice, Plessi studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia, where he later taught painting. In the late 1960s, he shifted from traditional painting to focus on natural elements, especially water, which became a central motif in his work. His installations, performances, films, and videotapes explored water as movement, energy, and memory, often incorporating electronic images and screens. He was among the first in Italy to use television monitors as integral parts of artworks. His breakthrough came in 1986 when he represented Italy at the 42nd Venice Biennale with 'Bronx', demonstrating the coexistence of electronic images, industrial materials, and natural elements. Plessi's monumental works include 'Mare Verticale' for the Italian pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover, and 'Waterfire', which transformed the facade of the Museo Correr in Venice. In 2020, for his 80th birthday, he created 'L'Età dell'Oro', a light installation on the windows of the Museo Correr, and later a large digital tree made of LED monitors in Piazza San Marco during the pandemic. Plessi's work has been exhibited internationally, and he is considered a key figure in the history of video art.