Paola Pivi on the Loss of Play in Contemporary Society
In a guest essay for designboom's PLAY chapter, Italian artist Paola Pivi contemplates the diminishing role of play in contemporary society. She reminisces about her carefree childhood in Gallarate, Italy, contrasting it with today's climate of surveillance and diminishing privacy. Pivi reflects on childhood games such as 'guardie e ladri' and expresses sorrow that global crises have rendered play seemingly insignificant. She links play to the pursuit of knowledge and describes her art as an extension of this playful spirit, highlighting works like 'How I Roll' (2012) and her 1999 Golden Lion accolade at the Venice Biennale for 'Untitled (airplane)'. Additionally, she mentions her upcoming exhibition 'Live again' at Perrotin Paris in 2026.
Key facts
- Paola Pivi wrote a guest essay for designboom's PLAY chapter.
- Pivi argues that play is no longer possible due to loss of privacy and societal constraints.
- She grew up in Gallarate, Italy, in a modernist condominium with a large yard.
- She won the Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1999.
- Her work 'How I Roll' (2012) featured a rotating Piper Seneca at Central Park, commissioned by Public Art Fund.
- The essay references her exhibition 'Live again' at Perrotin Paris in 2026.
- Pivi's practice includes sculptures, installations, and performances with absurdist elements.
- The essay is part of designboom's PLAY chapter exploring pleasure-driven design.
Entities
Artists
- Paola Pivi
- Matthew McPhillips
- Karma Culture Brothers
Institutions
- designboom
- Perrotin
- Public Art Fund
- Venice Biennale
- Central Park
- Doris C. Freedman Plaza
- High Line
- La Rinascente
- Massimo De Carlo
- Portikus
- Echigo Tsumari Triennial
- Balloon Museum
- Grand Palais
Locations
- Gallarate
- Italy
- New York
- USA
- Paris
- France
- Milan
- Frankfurt
- Germany
- Fuliang County
- Jiangxi Province
- China