Simone Forti, Pioneer of Postmodern Dance, Dies at 91
Simone Forti, the pioneering Italian-American artist known for her groundbreaking improvisational work 'Dance Constructions,' passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 91 following a struggle with Parkinson's disease, as confirmed by her gallery, Raffaella Cortese. Born in Florence in 1935, Forti immigrated to the United States with her family. She attended Reed College and wed minimalist artist Robert Morris in 1955. After relocating to San Francisco and studying under Anna Halprin, she premiered her 'Dance Constructions' in 1960 during an event organized by Claes Oldenburg and Jim Dine. Forti had a significant impact on the Judson Dance Theater, later married Robert Whitman, and eventually settled in Rome. She taught at UCLA, received a retrospective in 2014, and was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale in 2023.
Key facts
- Simone Forti died at 91 in Los Angeles after battling Parkinson's disease.
- Her gallery, Raffaella Cortese, confirmed the news on social media.
- She pioneered 'Dance Constructions' in 1960, using props and improvisation.
- Forti was born in Florence, Italy in 1935 and fled fascism with her family.
- She studied at Reed College and married Robert Morris in 1955.
- She trained under Anna Halprin and was inspired by Gutai artist Saburo Murakami.
- Her work 'Huddle' was staged at Yoko Ono's loft in 1961.
- She won the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement in dance at the 2023 Venice Biennale.
Entities
Artists
- Simone Forti
- Robert Morris
- Anna Halprin
- Saburo Murakami
- Claes Oldenburg
- Jim Dine
- Yoko Ono
- Steve Paxton
- Yvonne Rainer
- Robert Whitman
- Peter van Riper
- Lloyd Cross
- Robert Ellis Dunn
- John Cage
- Trisha Brown
- Dan Graham
- La Monte Young
- Charlemagne Palestine
- Peter Van Riper
- Carl Lehmann-Haupt
- Benito Mussolini
Institutions
- Raffaella Cortese
- Reed College
- Hunter College
- Reuben Gallery
- Judson Dance Theater
- UCLA
- Museum der Moderne Salzburg
- Louvre
- MoMA
- MoCA Los Angeles
- Venice Biennale
- Stedelijk Museum
- Neue Nationalgalerie
- New York Times
- Chambers Street Loft Series
- School of Visual Arts
- Museum der Moderne, Salzburg
- California Institute of the Arts
- The Box L.A.
- MOCA Los Angeles
- Biennale Danza di Venezia
- L’Attico
- Artribune
- California Institute for the Arts
- Venice Biennale Dance
- Simone Forti Art Trust
- Museum of Modern Art
- Venice Dance Biennale
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
- Venice Biennale Danza
- Collezione da Tiffany
- Galleria Raffaella Cortese
- Galleria L'Attico
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Los Angeles
- Halprin-Lathrop School
- Dance Workshop of Marin
- Merce Cunningham Studio
- The Box
- L'Attico
- Biennale Danza
- Centre Pompidou
- Museo Reina Sofía
- Fondation Cartier
- Castello di Rivoli
- Palazzo Altemps
Locations
- Los Angeles
- Florence
- Italy
- Switzerland
- Oregon
- San Francisco
- New York
- Greenwich Village
- Rome
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Berlin
- Germany
- Salzburg
- Austria
- France
- New York City
- Portland
- Vermont
- Firenze
- United States
- Roma
- Woodstock
- Venezia
- Mad Brook Farm
- Milan
- Venice
- SoHo
- Chambers Street
- Paris
- Madrid