Hauser & Wirth to Represent Piero Manzoni Estate Worldwide

Swiss mega-gallery Hauser & Wirth has signed an exclusive worldwide representation agreement with the Fondazione Piero Manzoni in Milan, adding the Italian artist to its roster of estates. Manzoni (1933-1963), known for his radical avant-garde works like the Achromes, holds a record auction price of £12.6 million for an Achrome sold at Sotheby's London in 2014. The gallery will exhibit an Achrome at Art Basel and plans a major New York show in late 2018, while also funding a new online catalogue raisonné. This move underscores Hauser & Wirth's growing focus on Italian art, following its strong presence at the Venice Biennale with 12 artists. The gallery already manages estates of Italians Fabio Mauri and Fausto Melotti, alongside international figures like Philip Guston, Mike Kelley, and Eva Hesse. Other mega-galleries have similarly targeted Italian artists: David Zwirner holds a major Giorgio Morandi collection, Barbara Gladstone represents Alighiero Boetti and Marisa Merz, and Gagosian handles Pino Pascali. Larry Gagosian first boosted Italian art prices in the early 2000s with a Boetti retrospective in New York. The trend raises concerns that Italian works may leave the country, with profits unlikely to be reinvested locally.