"Che fare? Arte Povera. The Historic Years" in Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein

To commemorate its tenth anniversary, the Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein presents, until September 5, 2010, a great Arte Povera exhibition that includes works by the most important artists of this movement. "Che fare? Arte Povera. The Historic Years" is an exhibition consisting of more than 130 artworks created between 1967 and 1972, by the most relevant figures of a movement that sought to bridge the gap between art and life and shortened the physical and conceptual distances between the artwork and the spectator. Arte Povera artists transformed everyday objects into meaningful artworks that acquired a new dignity. These were simpler and more modest proposals in their means that, nevertheless, were more authentic in their materials. Through the creation of spiritually charged metaphors aimed at changing the rigid structure of the aesthetics of the period, this art movement opened a poetic and sensual window to the world of the time by creating spiritually charged metaphors attempting to transform the rigid structures of the aesthetics of the time. The works selected for this exhibition address four themes that were central to Arte Povera: time, energy, alchemy, and the history of the earth. This exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein includes works by artists such as Giovanni Anselmo, Alighiero Boetti, Pier Paolo Calzolari, Luciano Fabro, Jannis Kounellis, Marisa Merz, Mario Merz, Giulio Paolini, Giuseppe Penone, Pistoletto, Gilberto Zorio, and Miguel Ángel, among others. The exhibition is complemented with other works by artists closely connected with the movement, some of whom participated in important exhibitions from 1966 and on. These artists included Gino de Dominicis, Piero Giraldi, and Salvo, among others. Many of the works shown will be from the museum¿s collection. Arte Povera has been a mainstay of the collection since the founding of Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein. These works, more than fifty in all, will be shown alongside works from public and private European collections, including some little-known works from the early years. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog in German and English documenting the exhibition and the artworks presented. The catalog includes new essays and interviews with the artists aimed at furthering an understanding of the Arte Povera movement.