Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa at Palazzetto Tito is currently hosting “Campo di Ricerca“, a striking solo exhibition by Giovanni Morbin, a prominent figure in the realm of contemporary Italian body art. Curated by Daniele Capra, this showcase unveils around thirty works created by Morbin since the late 1980s, including new site-specific pieces tailored for the Foundation’s premises, along with envisioned performances paying homage to the lagoon city.
Morbin’s exhibition offers an insightful journey into his multidimensional exploration. His artistry traverses from action-based performances to works manifesting objective realities. The display confronts alterations and imprints on the mundane fabric, exemplified through pieces like “Materia yielding to touch“, capturing the physical transformation of the artist’s body post-accident, or “After Szeemann“, a vacuum cleaner from the studio mistaken as an abandoned object.
Notable among the exhibited pieces for Venice are the “Bianchi“, paintings formed by stripping plaster in the exhibition space using restoration methods, symbolizing a reversal of conventional painting activities.
Giovanni Morbin’s artistic journey began at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts under Emilio Vedova’s tutelage. His oeuvre navigates behavior through performances and sculptural works, often presenting as surreal functional objects. His exploration extends to “Non sto più nella pelle“, commissioned portraits executed with the client’s blood fluid, delving into body transformation and the translation of bodily volume into an artistic expression.
His works have graced prominent venues and events worldwide, from the Lazareti Art Center in Dubrovnik to MACRo in Rome, showcasing his evolving vision and innovative interpretations of body art. Giovanni Morbin’s thought-provoking pieces at Palazzetto Tito stand as a testament to his unparalleled creativity and unwavering commitment to the exploration of art through the human form and its environment.
Website: www.bevilacqualamasa.it
Location: Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa at Palazzetto Tito, Venice
Schedule: until Feb. 11, 2024
