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Germano Celant, Curator Who Defined Arte Povera, Dies at 80

artist · 2026-04-20

Germano Celant, the influential Italian art critic who introduced the term 'Arte Povera' in 1967, has died. This phrase described a collective of Italian artists who worked between 1967 and 1972, using common materials like stones, textiles, and branches to push back against the commercial art world. His first exhibition, 'Im Spazio (The Space of Thoughts),' was held at Galleria La Bertesca in Genoa in 1967. Over the years, he curated major exhibitions, including 'Identité italienne. L’art en Italie depuis 1959' at the Centre Georges Pompidou in 1981 and 'Italian Metamorphosis 1943-1968' at the Guggenheim Museum in 1994. He also held significant positions at the Guggenheim and the Prada Foundation and curated the Venice Biennale in 1997.

Key facts

  • Germano Celant coined the term 'Arte Povera' in 1967.
  • He died in 2020 at age 80.
  • Arte Povera artists used everyday materials like rocks and cloth from 1967–1972.
  • Celant curated 'Im Spazio' at Galleria La Bertesca in Genoa in 1967.
  • He was Senior Curator at the Guggenheim Museum in New York from 1988.
  • Celant served as Artistic Director of the Prada Foundation in Milan from 1993.
  • He curated the Venice Biennale in 1997.
  • His exhibitions included shows at Centre Georges Pompidou and Palazzo Grassi.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

Locations

  • Genoa
  • Italy
  • Paris
  • France
  • Venice
  • New York
  • United States
  • Milan
  • Turin
  • Rome
  • Bologna
  • Amalfi
  • Salerno
  • Naples
  • Rivoli
  • Madrid
  • Toronto
  • Bern
  • Amsterdam
  • Kabul
  • Bamiyan
  • Afghanistan
  • Europe
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Bari
  • Florence
  • Rovereto
  • Bilbao
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • Macerata
  • Genova
  • Milano
  • Lucca

Sources

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