The Teatro Margherita in Bari is the site of an exhibit of installations by Jannis Kounellis, the "patriarch" of Italy's 1960s arte povera movement. Arte povera was a movement meant to shake up the art world and redefine the very concept of art. Kounellis introduced "found" objects in his paintings, among them live animals, but also fire, earth, burlap sacks, gold. He replaced the canvas with bed frames, doorways, windows or simply the gallery itself.
The Teatro Margherita has been rennovated externally, but has been an empty shell for the 20 years that I have lived in Apulia, and perhaps longer. Kounellis designed these installations specifically to use the large unfinished spaces inside the theater.
His artwork has been called "Kafkaesque" and, personally, I find it a bit dark and depressing. I felt weighed down and flattened by his work...but perhaps that is exactly the effect he is trying to achieve!
For more information on Kounellis, you can read this review in English of another exhibit of his.The exhibit in Bari is running until September 20.
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4 comments:
How interesting! I like the first photo very much.
Very nice post Saretta. Really nice images.
I have a simple rule, if I can do it, it's not art.
Hee! I love B Squared's comments.
It does look like an "interesting" exhibit.
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