Renato Barilli on Marisa Merz's delicate art and her partnership with Mario Merz
Renato Barilli reflects on Marisa Merz, the only woman among the Arte Povera group, and her collaborative relationship with her husband Mario Merz. Mario Merz used Fibonacci sequences and neon tubes in a biomorphic style, while Marisa created delicate, intimate works using crochet with copper wire, tiny shoes, and embryonic forms. Their partnership is described as a 'concordia discors,' with Mario's expansive, rational structures supporting Marisa's fragile, ghost-like creations. Marisa left traces in Rome's experimental spaces, such as Fabio Sargentini's venue, and later in a bourgeois suite. Barilli notes her uncertainty in painting but praises her magic in modeling clay. The article was published on Artribune in July 2019.
Key facts
- Marisa Merz was the only woman among the eleven Arte Povera artists.
- Mario Merz used Fibonacci number sequences in his work.
- Mario Merz employed neon tubes in a biomorphic style, unlike Dan Flavin's minimalism.
- Marisa Merz used crochet with copper wire to create delicate works.
- She also made tiny shoes and left them in places like Fregene beach and Villa Medici.
- The couple collaborated in Rome's experimental spaces, including Fabio Sargentini's venue.
- Barilli considers Marisa's painting less successful than her sculpture.
- The article is a personal remembrance by critic Renato Barilli.
- Published on Artribune in July 2019.
Entities
Artists
- Marisa Merz
- Mario Merz
- Renato Barilli
- Dan Flavin
- Bruce Nauman
- Lucio Fontana
- Fabio Sargentini
Institutions
- Artribune
- Università di Bologna
- DAMS
- Villa Medici
Locations
- Rome
- Fregene
- Italy