Dennis Oppenheim

By 2 July 2019 Exhibited artists

DENNIS OPPENHEIM

DENNIS OPPENHEIM

Biography

Dennis Oppenheim was born in Electric City, Washington, in 1938 and died in New York City in 2011. He attended the California College of Art and Crafts in Oakland and the Stanford University. In 1966 he moved to New York where he discovered the avant-garde artistic circles. His work distinguishes for having dealt with various artistic movements, even the most different.
In 1967 he realized his first Land Art interventions, called Earthworks, documented with photography. Until the early 70s he continued to perform within the natural landscape, using organic materials marked by a transitory character. This work is permanently documented by the photographic and cinematographic medium. During the 70s, he turned his interest to Body Art, replacing the natural environment with the human body as the place of his temporary intervention: the work Reading Position for Second Degree Burn dates back 1970, for which he lied down for several hours with an open book on his chest and under the sun, whose radiations left trace on his body.
From the 80s Oppenheim experimented with Public Art: he created big installations in which he combined common but distorted forms and objects, including electrical mechanisms, movement, lights and pyrotechnic effects, often defying the limits of physics.

Dennis Oppenheim first solo exhibition was held in 1968 at John Gibson Gallery, New York, followed by many solos in public and private institutions all over the world: MAMCO, Genève (2022, 2015, 1996); Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo (2021, 1996); Musée des Beaux-Arts, Caen (2019); Guild Hall, East Hampton NY (2018); Art Institute of Chicago (2016); Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton (2013); MAMC, Saint-Etienne (2011); MARCA, Catanzaro (2009); Neuberger Museum, New York (2006); Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid (2005); Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2003); IMMA, Dublin (2001); Kunsthalle Hamburg (1999); Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (1998); Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City (1998); LACMA, Los Angeles (1997); Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim (1996); Musée d’Art Moderne de Lille (1994); Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1992); Institute for Contemporary Art, Long Island City (1991); Tel Aviv Museum of Art (1984); Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco (1984); Seattle Art Museum (1983); Vancouver Art Gallery (1982); Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Genève (1982, 1980); Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (1979); The Israel Museum, Jerusalem (1979); Musée d’art contemporain, Montréal (1978); Museum Boymans van Beuningen, Rotterdam (1976); Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels (1975); Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1974); Tate Gallery, London (1972).

Among the most recent group shows held in institutions: Centro Pecci, Prato (2022); John Michael Kohler Arts Center, New York (2022); Nevada Museum of Art, Reno NV (2021); Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (2020); Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. (2019); MAMAC, Nice (2018); Musée d’art contemporain, Marseille (2017); Tate Modern, London (2016); National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. (2016); Lille Métropole Musée d’art moderne, Villeneuve d’Ascq (2015); Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (2014); Centre Pompidou, Metz (2013); The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2012); MoMA, New York (2011, 2007); Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (2010).
Dennis Oppenheim also participated in prestigious international exhibitions: Valencia Biennal (2003); Venice Biennale (1997, 1972); Johannesburg Biennal (1997); documenta, Kassel (1977, 1972).
The collaboration with Galleria Fumagalli began in 2010 on the occasion of the first solo exhibition “Material Interchange. Works 1968-1974”, curated by Alberto Fiz. In 2013 the second solo exhibition, “Dennis Oppenheim. Sculture 1979-2006”, was held at the Pecci Museum in Milan, curated by Alberto Fiz with Amy Oppenheim, in collaboration with Spazioborgogno. In 2021, Oppenheim’s works were selected by critic Lóránd Hegyi to be included in the third and sixth shows of the exhibition program “MY30YEARS – Coherency in Diversity”.

View curriculum →

Biography

Dennis Oppenheim was born in Electric City, Washington, in 1938 and died in New York City in 2011. He attended the California College of Art and Crafts in Oakland and the Stanford University. In 1966 he moved to New York where he discovered the avant-garde artistic circles. His work distinguishes for having dealt with various artistic movements, even the most different.
In 1967 he realized his first Land Art interventions, called Earthworks, documented with photography. Until the early 70s he continued to perform within the natural landscape, using organic materials marked by a transitory character. This work is permanently documented by the photographic and cinematographic medium. During the 70s, he turned his interest to Body Art, replacing the natural environment with the human body as the place of his temporary intervention: the work Reading Position for Second Degree Burn dates back 1970, for which he lied down for several hours with an open book on his chest and under the sun, whose radiations left trace on his body.
From the 80s Oppenheim experimented with Public Art: he created big installations in which he combined common but distorted forms and objects, including electrical mechanisms, movement, lights and pyrotechnic effects, often defying the limits of physics.

Dennis Oppenheim first solo exhibition was held in 1968 at John Gibson Gallery, New York, followed by many solos in public and private institutions all over the world: MAMCO, Genève (2022, 2015, 1996); Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo (2021, 1996); Musée des Beaux-Arts, Caen (2019); Guild Hall, East Hampton NY (2018); Art Institute of Chicago (2016); Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton (2013); MAMC, Saint-Etienne (2011); MARCA, Catanzaro (2009); Neuberger Museum, New York (2006); Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid (2005); Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2003); IMMA, Dublin (2001); Kunsthalle Hamburg (1999); Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (1998); Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City (1998); LACMA, Los Angeles (1997); Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim (1996); Musée d’Art Moderne de Lille (1994); Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1992); Institute for Contemporary Art, Long Island City (1991); Tel Aviv Museum of Art (1984); Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco (1984); Seattle Art Museum (1983); Vancouver Art Gallery (1982); Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Genève (1982, 1980); Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (1979); The Israel Museum, Jerusalem (1979); Musée d’art contemporain, Montréal (1978); Museum Boymans van Beuningen, Rotterdam (1976); Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels (1975); Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1974); Tate Gallery, London (1972).

Among the most recent group shows held in institutions: Centro Pecci, Prato (2022); John Michael Kohler Arts Center, New York (2022); Nevada Museum of Art, Reno NV (2021); Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (2020); Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. (2019); MAMAC, Nice (2018); Musée d’art contemporain, Marseille (2017); Tate Modern, London (2016); National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. (2016); Lille Métropole Musée d’art moderne, Villeneuve d’Ascq (2015); Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (2014); Centre Pompidou, Metz (2013); The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2012); MoMA, New York (2011, 2007); Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (2010).
Dennis Oppenheim also participated in prestigious international exhibitions: Valencia Biennal (2003); Venice Biennale (1997, 1972); Johannesburg Biennal (1997); documenta, Kassel (1977, 1972).
The collaboration with Galleria Fumagalli began in 2010 on the occasion of the first solo exhibition “Material Interchange. Works 1968-1974”, curated by Alberto Fiz. In 2013 the second solo exhibition, “Dennis Oppenheim. Sculture 1979-2006”, was held at the Pecci Museum in Milan, curated by Alberto Fiz with Amy Oppenheim, in collaboration with Spazioborgogno. In 2021, Oppenheim’s works were selected by critic Lóránd Hegyi to be included in the third and sixth shows of the exhibition program “MY30YEARS – Coherency in Diversity”.

View curriculum →

Works

Dennis Oppenheim, Condensed 220, 1969 ©LucreziaRoda
Dennis Oppenheim, Condensed 220 Yard Dash, 1969
Plaster cast, earth, B/W photo print, 180x630x50 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Ground mutations, 1969 ©LucreziaRoda
Dennis Oppenheim, Ground Mutations, 1969
Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten text, signature and date on cardboard, 125×389x4 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Stomach X-Ray, 1974. Collage di stampe fotografiche in bianco e nero e a colori, testo dattiloscritto, firma e data a mano su carta, 70,3x56 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Stomach X-Ray, 1974
Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten text, signature and date on paper, 70,3x56 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Forming Sounds, 1971. Collage di stampe fotografiche a colori da videotape, testo stampato, firma e data a mano su carta, 174x205 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Forming Sounds, 1971
Color photo prints from videotape, typewritten text, signature and date on paper, 174x205 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Recall, 1973. Collage di stampe fotografiche in bianco e nero, disegno e testo a mano su cartoncino, firma e data a mano, 86x106 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Recall, 1973
B/W photo prints, handwritten drawing and handwritten text on cardboard, signature and date, 86x106 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Untitled Performance, 1974. Collage su cartone di stampe fotografiche in bianco e nero e a colori, testo dattiloscritto, diagramma a matita colorata su carta, testo a mano, firma e data su cartone, 2 pannelli 103,5x78,5 cm cad., 103,5x157 cm totale
Dennis Oppenheim, Untitled Performance, 1974
Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten and handwritten text, colored pencil on cardboard, 2 panels 103,5×78,5 cm each, 103,5×157 cm overall
Dennis Oppenheim, Theme for a Major Hit, 1974. Collage su cartone di stampe fotografiche in bianco e nero e a colori, testo dattiloscritto, diagramma a matita colorata e testo a mano, firma e data su carta, 2 pannelli 104x77,5 cm cad., 104x155 cm totale
Dennis Oppenheim, Theme for a Major Hit, 1974
Color and B/W photo prints on cardboard, typewritten text, colored pencil on paper, handwritten text, signature and date on cardboard, 2 panels 103,5x78,5 cm each, 103,5x157 cm overall
Dennis Oppenheim, Study for Revolving Kisses Racks, 1990. Matita, matita colorata e olio (pastello e diluito) su carta, firma e data, 127x98,5 cm
Dennis Oppenheim, Study for Revolving Kisses Racks, 1990
Pencil, colored pencil, oil wash, oil stick on paper, signature and date, 127x98,5 cm

Works

Dennis Oppenheim, Condensed 220 Yard Dash, 1969. Plaster cast, soil, B/W photo print, 180x630x50 cm

Dennis Oppenheim, Condensed 220 Yard Dash, 1969. Plaster cast, soil, B/W photo print, 180x630x50 cm

Dennis Oppenheim, Ground Mutations, 1969. Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten text, signature and date on cardboard, 125×389x4 cm

Dennis Oppenheim, Ground Mutations, 1969. Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten text, signature an

Dennis Oppenheim, Stomach X-Ray, 1974. Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten text, signature and date on paper, 70,3x56 cm

Dennis Oppenheim, Stomach X-Ray, 1974. Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten text, signature and d

Dennis Oppenheim, Forming Sounds, 1971. Color photo prints from videotape, typewritten text, signature and date on paper, 174x205 cm

Dennis Oppenheim, Forming Sounds, 1971. Color photo prints from videotape, typewritten text, signatu

Dennis Oppenheim, Recall, 1973. B/W photo prints, handwritten drawing and handwritten text on cardboard, signature and date, 86x106 cm

Dennis Oppenheim, Recall, 1973. B/W photo prints, handwritten drawing and handwritten text on cardbo

Dennis Oppenheim, Untitled Performance, 1974. Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten and handwritten text, colored pencil on cardboard, 2 panels 103,5×78,5 cm each, 103,5×157 cm overall

Dennis Oppenheim, Untitled Performance, 1974. Color and B/W photo prints, typewritten and handwritte

Dennis Oppenheim, Theme for a Major Hit, 1974. Color and B/W photo prints on cardboard, typewritten text, colored pencil on paper, handwritten text, signature and date on cardboard, 2 panels 103,5x78,5 cm each, 103,5x157 cm overall

Dennis Oppenheim, Theme for a Major Hit, 1974. Color and B/W photo prints on cardboard, typewritten

Dennis Oppenheim, Study for Revolving Kisses Racks, 1990. Pencil, colored pencil, oil wash, oil stick on paper, signature and date, 127x98,5 cm

Dennis Oppenheim, Study for Revolving Kisses Racks, 1990. Pencil, colored pencil, oil wash, oil stic

Press

Domus

April 2010
“Dennis Oppenheim. Da Electric City a Electric Kisses. Una vicenda artistica e architettonica”

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Artforum

December 1991
“The Dark Side of Dennis Oppenheim”

Read article  →

Press

Domus

April 2010
“Dennis Oppenheim. Da Electric City a Electric Kisses. Una vicenda artistica e architettonica”

Read article  →

Artforum

December 1991
“The Dark Side of Dennis Oppenheim”

Read article  →

Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Sculture 1979-2006

Opening 3 October, 2013
4 October to 23 November, 2013

Exhibition  →

DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Material Interchange. Opere 1968/1974

Opening 5 June, 2010
8 June to 20 November, 2010

Exhibition  →

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Questioning the Functionality

Opening 7 October, 2022
7 October to 2 December, 2022

Exhibition  →

Ironia – Temporalità – Déplacement

Opening 17 November, 2021
18 November, 2021 to 4 February, 2022

Exhibition  →

Switch On 3

Opening 23 February, 2017
24 February to 1 April, 2017

Exhibition  →

Summer Show

Opening 15 June, 2013
18 June to 15 September, 2013

Exhibition  →

Corpi in azione / Corpi in visione
Esperienze e indagini artistiche 1965/1980

Opening 18 April, 2013
19 April to 15 June, 2013

Exhibition  →

Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Sculture 1979-2006

Opening 3 October, 2013
4 October to 23 November, 2013

Exhibition  →

DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Material Interchange. Opere 1968/1974

Opening 5 June, 2010
8 June to 20 November, 2010

Exhibition  →

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Questioning the Functionality

Opening 7 October, 2022
7 October to 2 December, 2022

Exhibition  →

Ironia – Temporalità – Déplacement

Opening 17 November, 2021
18 November, 2021 to 4 February, 2022

Exhibition  →

Switch On 3

Opening 23 February, 2017
24 February to 1 April, 2017

Exhibition  →

Summer Show

Opening 15 June, 2013
18 June to 15 September, 2013

Exhibition  →

Corpi in azione / Corpi in visione
Esperienze e indagini artistiche 1965/1980

Opening 18 April, 2013
19 April to 15 June, 2013

Exhibition  →

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