Giulio Ciavoliello's 'Fuori dal Coro' Rethinks 1970s Italian Art
Giulio Ciavoliello's new book 'Fuori dal Coro. L’arte libera dalle ideologie al tempo della contestazione' (Christian Marinotti Edizioni, 2023) examines Italian art of the 1970s, a decade marked by political turmoil and artistic fragmentation. The volume follows his earlier 'Dagli 80’ in poi' (2005) and challenges the conventional narrative that reduces the period to a linear progression from Arte Povera to Transavanguardia. Ciavoliello highlights the shift from closed collective exhibitions to a more public-oriented art, with critics like Enrico Crispolti moving art into urban contexts. The book details how artists such as Gabriele Basilico (whose 1976 photograph 'Proletariato giovanile' reenacts Pellizza da Volpedo's 'Quarto stato' with nude dancers) and figures like Carla Lonzi (who left art for feminist activism), Germano Celant, and Achille Bonito Oliva redefined their roles. It also addresses the return to painting in the late 1970s, exemplified by Marcia Tucker's 1978 'Bad Painting' exhibition in New York, and the re-engagement with art history through citations, as seen in Giulio Paolini's reference to Giorgio de Chirico at 'Campo Aperto' (1970) and Luciano Fabro's concern for temporal stability. The book argues that the decade's art oscillated between convergence with politics and separation, laying groundwork for later developments.
Key facts
- Book title: 'Fuori dal Coro. L’arte libera dalle ideologie al tempo della contestazione'
- Author: Giulio Ciavoliello
- Publisher: Christian Marinotti Edizioni, 2023
- Pages: 176, Price: €22.00
- ISBN: 978-88-8273-186-1
- Follows Ciavoliello's 2005 book 'Dagli 80’ in poi'
- Examines Italian art of the 1970s
- Challenges linear narrative from Arte Povera to Transavanguardia
- Highlights shift from collective exhibitions to public-oriented art
- Enrico Crispolti moved art into urban contexts
- Gabriele Basilico's 1976 photo 'Proletariato giovanile' reenacts Pellizza da Volpedo's 'Quarto stato'
- Carla Lonzi left art for feminist activism
- Germano Celant and Achille Bonito Oliva redefined roles
- Marcia Tucker curated 'Bad Painting' in 1978 at New York
- Giulio Paolini cited Giorgio de Chirico at 'Campo Aperto' 1970
- Luciano Fabro concerned with temporal stability of the work
- 1974 Milan exhibition 'La ripetizione differente' curated by Barilli, featured Gerhard Richter's variations on Titian's 'Annunciation'
- Painting rehabilitated at Documenta 5 in 1972
- Jean-Christophe Ammann curated hyperrealist painting at Documenta 5
- Book argues art oscillated between convergence and separation from politics
Entities
Artists
- Giulio Ciavoliello
- Enrico Crispolti
- Gabriele Basilico
- Pellizza da Volpedo
- Carla Lonzi
- Germano Celant
- Achille Bonito Oliva
- Marcia Tucker
- Giulio Paolini
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Luciano Fabro
- Gerhard Richter
- Tiziano
- Gilles Deleuze
- Jean-Christophe Ammann
- Marcello Carriero
Institutions
- Christian Marinotti Edizioni
- Artribune
- Documenta 5
- Campo Aperto
Locations
- Italy
- New York
- Milan
- Kassel