The Roots of Arte Povera: Duchamp, Klein, Manzoni, and Burri

Arte Povera is one of the most influential, and yet “under the radar”, art movements to come out of Italy during the last century. Since its appearance in the late 1960s, the works of Giuseppe Penone, Marisa Merz, Jannis Kounellis, among others, have strongly influenced the international contemporary art scene, revolutionizing the ways in which artists think about materials and art institutions. Arte Povera radically changed the history of conceptual art through its political views on capitalism, social structures, urbanization, and environmental degradation. Today, these subjects have become even more urgent and define the practices of many internationally well-known artists. This is the first in a series of three lectures to explore the key artists and major innovations introduced by Arte Povera to better appreciate the importance and impact of Italian art. The series will look at the international and local historical contexts from which Arte Povera emerged, starting from an exploration of the ph