Michele Dantini Reassesses Arte Povera's Political Mythos
In a significant essay featured in Artribune, art historian Michele Dantini reflects on the impact of Arte Povera nearly five decades later, contending that its perceived political radicalism is a retrospective interpretation. He identifies its roots in a September 1967 exhibition at Galleria La Bertesca in Genoa, organized by Germano Celant, who divided artists into the categories of Arte Povera and Im Spazio. Celant framed the movement as a critique of consumer culture. Nevertheless, Dantini points out that few artists aimed for political expression, citing Luciano Fabro's 1967 critique of thematic reductionism and Alighiero Boetti's 1988 acknowledgment of his non-involvement in protests. He proposes that the 'Arte Povera' label be reconsidered, suggesting a focus on the 'primordial' instead of political themes.
Key facts
- Arte Povera originated in September 1967 at Galleria La Bertesca in Genoa.
- Germano Celant curated the founding exhibition, dividing artists into Arte Povera and Im Spazio.
- Celant politicized the movement, linking 'povero' to anti-consumerism and anti-Americanism.
- Celant compared Arte Povera artists to Castro's barbudos in Flash Art (November 1967).
- Few artists intended political art; Piero Gilardi was excluded, Michelangelo Pistoletto only partly engaged.
- Luciano Fabro criticized the thematic reduction in 1967.
- Giulio Paolini's 1968 portrait Autoritratto con il Doganiere excluded Celant.
- Alighiero Boetti stated in 1988 he never participated in protests.
- Michele Dantini teaches at Università del Piemonte Orientale.
- The essay was published on Artribune in 2016.
Entities
Artists
- Michele Dantini
- Germano Celant
- Piero Gilardi
- Michelangelo Pistoletto
- Luciano Fabro
- Giulio Paolini
- Alighiero Boetti
- Pino Pascali
- Emilio Prini
- Mario Merz
- Gianni Piacentino
- Jannis Kounellis
- Carla Lonzi
- Henri Rousseau
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Raphael
- Alberto Burri
- Renato Guttuso
- Lucio Fontana
- Yves Klein
- Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev
- Nicholas Cullinan
- Giuseppe Chiarante
Institutions
- Galleria La Bertesca
- Marcatré
- Flash Art
- Artribune
- Università del Piemonte Orientale
- Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa
- October
Locations
- Genoa
- Italy
- Milan
- Turin
- Como
- Cuba
- Latin America
- China
- Vietnam
- United States