Gary Kuehn's First Italian Museum Retrospective Opens at GAMeC Bergamo
In 2018, GAMeC Bergamo and Palazzo della Ragione hosted Gary Kuehn's inaugural solo exhibition in an Italian museum, titled 'Il diletto del praticante' (Practitioner's Delight), under the curation of Lorenzo Giusti. This exhibition showcases approximately seventy pieces, encompassing sculptures, drawings, paintings, and installations dating back to the early 1960s. The title is inspired by Kuehn's 1966 piece 'Practitioner's Delight.' Born in 1939 in Plainfield, Kuehn moved away from Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, and Arte Povera, drawing inspiration from his experiences in roofing and steelworking between 1958 and 1968. The exhibition features seldom-seen works from the 1960s and highlights thematic contrasts, celebrating Kuehn's artistic journey over five decades. Mousse published the accompanying catalog.
Key facts
- Gary Kuehn's first solo museum exhibition in Italy opened at GAMeC Bergamo and Palazzo della Ragione in 2018.
- The exhibition is titled 'Il diletto del praticante' (Practitioner's Delight), curated by Lorenzo Giusti in his debut as GAMeC director.
- The title references Kuehn's 1966 work 'Practitioner's Delight' featuring a white parallelepiped with solidified pink liquid.
- Kuehn distanced himself from Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, and Arte Povera.
- He worked as a roofer and steelworker from 1958 to 1968, influencing his artistic methodology.
- Early works include 'Straw Pillow' (1963), 'Branch Pieces' (1964), 'Star Piece with branches' (1964), and 'Straw Piece' (1964).
- The exhibition presents around seventy works including sculptures, drawings, paintings, and installations from the early 1960s onward.
- The catalog is published by Mousse.
Entities
Artists
- Gary Kuehn
- Lorenzo Giusti
Institutions
- GAMeC Bergamo
- Palazzo della Ragione
- Mousse
Locations
- Bergamo
- Italy
- Plainfield