Michelangelo Pistoletto: Respect

From 20 October to 23 December 2016, Vnh Gallery & Galleria Continuawill present “Respect”, a multifaceted exhibition developed in three phases and focusing on one of the principle figures of Arte Povera: Michelangelo Pistoletto.

Organised in three main sections relating to art, education and politics, “Respect” will identify the fundamentals that drive the artist’s approach in his quest for the “Third Paradise” – that elusive point of equilibrium that exists at the junction of two opposite yet related concepts: nature/ artifice, feminine/masculine, individual/society, reason/emotion, democracy/tyranny. Beginning outside the gallery, a large representation of Pistoletto’s emblematic “Third Paradise” symbol will initiate a retrospective consisting of historical works that highlight the multidisciplinary practice of the Italian artist. A spirited, free-flowing conversation with curator Hans-Ulrich Obrist will offer the opportunity to form a deeper understanding of the concept of “respect,” a fundamental theme for Pistoletto and one especially relevant to our current historical moment.

In addition, 23 mirrors will be set up and subsequently shattered as part of a performance by the artist, who will thus reveal the word “Respect” in the world’s most spoken languages.
The political dimension will be present through an exploration of the concepts of democracy and tyranny through two historical works deriving from Pistoletto’s 1975 performances “Raggi di Persone” and “La Conferenza”, both of which remain particularly relevant.