Betty Danon mail art pioneer retrospective at Castello di Miradolo
At the Castello di Miradolo in Turin, a significant retrospective showcases the work of Betty Danon (Istanbul, 1927 – Milan, 2022), a trailblazer in mail art. Entitled 'Io e gli altri' (I and the Others), the exhibition occupies 14 rooms and explores her evolution from 1960s collages to asemantic scores, the 1975 publication 'Punto e linea', and innovative pieces blending natural sounds with musical notation, utilizing typewriter, photocopier, and computer. The pivotal installation 'Io e gli altri' from 1979 features over 200 postcards with staff lines, inviting contributions from artists like Nam June Paik and Sol LeWitt. Following criticism regarding collective action, Danon ceased exhibiting but continued her mail art practice, creating an archive now housed at Mart in Rovereto. The exhibition is curated by Roberto Galimberti and the Avant-dernière pensée collective, active at the castle since 2009, which has hosted music projects in the historic 17th-century venue.
Key facts
- Betty Danon was born in Istanbul in 1927 and died in Milan in 2022.
- She is considered a pioneer of mail art.
- The retrospective is at Castello di Miradolo in Turin.
- The exhibition is titled 'Io e gli altri'.
- It covers works from the 1960s to the 1990s.
- The installation 'Io e gli altri' from 1979 involved over 200 postcards with contributions from 11 named artists.
- Danon stopped exhibiting after accusations of exploiting collective action.
- Her archive is held at Mart in Rovereto.
Entities
Artists
- Betty Danon
- Nam June Paik
- Irma Blank
- Arrigo Lora Totino
- Ugo Carrega
- Tomaso Binga
- Maria Lai
- Amelia Etlinger
- Mirella Bentivoglio
- Sol LeWitt
- Chima Sunada
- Maurizio Nannucci
- Giuseppe Chiari
- Roberto Galimberti
Institutions
- Castello di Miradolo
- Fondazione Cosso
- Galleria Apollinaire
- Mart di Rovereto
- Avant-dernière pensée
Locations
- Istanbul
- Turkey
- Milan
- Italy
- Turin
- Rovereto
- Venice