Arte Povera pioneer Marisa Merz dies at 93

Marisa Merz, the sole female figure in the Arte Povera movement, has died. She was part of the landmark 1968 exhibition 'Arte Povera + Azioni Povere,' curated by Germano Celant, sharing the spotlight with notable artists like Alighiero Boetti and Jannis Kounellis. Despite a vibrant artistic journey, she received recognition comparable to her male peers, including her husband Mario Merz, only later in life. In 2013, she earned the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale, which coincided with her solo show at the Serpentine Gallery in London. A major retrospective moved from the Met Breuer in New York (2017) to various locations, including the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. She worked in her Turin home, creating sculptures from materials like copper wire and clay. Her 'Untitled (Living Sculpture)' from the late 1960s featured twisted metal sheets, while her 'Scarpette' series (1968–1975) showcased knitted slippers with iron nails. Even in her nineties, she was still making large pastels.