Baselitz's Final Exhibition 'Eroi d’Oro' Opens in Venice After His Death

Georg Baselitz's last exhibition, 'Eroi d’Oro,' opened at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, coinciding with the 61st Venice Biennale. The show features monumental figurative paintings on gold grounds, conceived as a late continuation of his 'Heroes' series from the 1960s. Baselitz died on April 30 at age 88, shortly after recording a video presenting the series as his final statement. Curated by Luca Massimo Barbero, the exhibition includes self-portraits, nudes, and portraits of his wife, rendered with incisive lines and thick color against metallic surfaces. The gold backgrounds replace pictorial depth with luminous flatness, creating tension between presence and erasure. The title 'Eroi d’Oro' ironically undercuts classical heroism, emphasizing the aged, unstable body. The exhibition runs until September 27.