DENNIS OPPENHEIM
DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Biography
Dennis Oppenheim was born in Electric City, Washington, in 1938 and passed away in New York 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. From 1967, the year of his first Earthwork, until the early ‘70s he performed a series of interventions on the natural landscape (with no permanent consequences) using materials that degrade and show a transitory character. The only evident trace of his work is visible in the photographic and cinematographic documentation. During the ‘70s, he moved from Land Art to Body Art: in 1970 he made the work Reading Position for Second Degree Burn for which he lays down with a book open on his chest for several hours in the light of the sun that outlines the trace of its passage on the body. The artist also experiments with video and performance, realizing works that deal with lights and sounds and that reflect on the concepts of time and genetics. During the ‘80s and the ‘90s he carted large-scale installations that represent common but distorted objects that defy the limits of physics. His interest in three-dimensional space and perception can also be found in more recent works, such as Radiant Fountains (2010) installed at the entrance of the Bush International Airport in Houston (Texas) with LED light strings and acrylic spheres.
Dennis Oppenheim first solo exhibition was held in 1968 at the John Gibson Gallery, New York, followed by numerous solos in public and private institutions all over the world: Musée des Beaux-Arts, Caen (2019), Guild Hall, East Hampton NY (2018), Art Institute of Chicago (2016), MAMCO, Geneva (2015, 1996), Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton (2013), Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Saint-Etienne (2011), MARCA, Catanzaro (2009), Neuberger Museum, New York (2006), Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (2005), Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2003), Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (2001), Kunsthalle Hamburg (1999), Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami and Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City (1998), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1997), Rijksmuseum Kroller-Muller, Otterlo and 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 and Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco (1984), Seattle Art Museum, Seattle (1983), Vancouver Art Gallery (1982), Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva (1982, 1980), Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and 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: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. (2019), MAMAC, Nice (2018), Museum of Contemporary Art, Marseille (2017), Tate Modern, London and 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 Georges Pompidou, Metz (2013), The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2012), Museum of Modern Art, New York (2011, 2007), Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (2010), The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (2009), Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia (2008), Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (2006), Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna (2005), The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (2004), Kunsthalle, Dusseldorf (2003), Musée d’art contemporain, Bordeaux (2002), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2001), Centre de Cultura Contemporània, Barcelona (2000). Dennis Oppenheim took part in prestigious international events such as: Valencia Biennial (2003), Venice Biennale (1997, 1980), Johannesburg Biennial (1997), Documenta, Kassel (1977, 1972). The collaboration with Galleria Fumagalli began in 2010 on the occasion of the first personal exhibition “Material Interchange. Works 1968-1974”. A second solo exhibition was organized in 2013 at Pecci Museum in Milan, in collaboration with Spazioborgogno.
Biography
Dennis Oppenheim was born in Electric City, Washington, in 1938 and passed away in New York 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. From 1967, the year of his first Earthwork, until the early ‘70s he performed a series of interventions on the natural landscape (with no permanent consequences) using materials that degrade and show a transitory character. The only evident trace of his work is visible in the photographic and cinematographic documentation. During the ‘70s, he moved from Land Art to Body Art: in 1970 he made the work Reading Position for Second Degree Burn for which he lays down with a book open on his chest for several hours in the light of the sun that outlines the trace of its passage on the body. The artist also experiments with video and performance, realizing works that deal with lights and sounds and that reflect on the concepts of time and genetics. During the ‘80s and the ‘90s he carted large-scale installations that represent common but distorted objects that defy the limits of physics. His interest in three-dimensional space and perception can also be found in more recent works, such as Radiant Fountains (2010) installed at the entrance of the Bush International Airport in Houston (Texas) with LED light strings and acrylic spheres.
Dennis Oppenheim first solo exhibition was held in 1968 at the John Gibson Gallery, New York, followed by numerous solos in public and private institutions all over the world: Musée des Beaux-Arts, Caen (2019), Guild Hall, East Hampton NY (2018), Art Institute of Chicago (2016), MAMCO, Geneva (2015, 1996), Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton (2013), Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Saint-Etienne (2011), MARCA, Catanzaro (2009), Neuberger Museum, New York (2006), Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (2005), Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2003), Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (2001), Kunsthalle Hamburg (1999), Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami and Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City (1998), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1997), Rijksmuseum Kroller-Muller, Otterlo and 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 and Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco (1984), Seattle Art Museum, Seattle (1983), Vancouver Art Gallery (1982), Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, Geneva (1982, 1980), Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and 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: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. (2019), MAMAC, Nice (2018), Museum of Contemporary Art, Marseille (2017), Tate Modern, London and 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 Georges Pompidou, Metz (2013), The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2012), Museum of Modern Art, New York (2011, 2007), Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid (2010), The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (2009), Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia (2008), Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (2006), Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna (2005), The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (2004), Kunsthalle, Dusseldorf (2003), Musée d’art contemporain, Bordeaux (2002), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2001), Centre de Cultura Contemporània, Barcelona (2000). Dennis Oppenheim took part in prestigious international events such as: Valencia Biennial (2003), Venice Biennale (1997, 1980), Johannesburg Biennial (1997), Documenta, Kassel (1977, 1972). The collaboration with Galleria Fumagalli began in 2010 on the occasion of the first personal exhibition “Material Interchange. Works 1968-1974”. A second solo exhibition was organized in 2013 at Pecci Museum in Milan, in collaboration with Spazioborgogno.
Works
Works
Press
Domus
April 2010
“Dennis Oppenheim. Da Electric City a Electric Kisses. Una vicenda artistica e architettonica”
Press
Domus
April 2010
“Dennis Oppenheim. Da Electric City a Electric Kisses. Una vicenda artistica e architettonica”
Exhibitions
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Sculture 1979-2006
Opening 3 October, 2013
4 October to 23 November, 2013
DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Material Interchange. Opere 1968/1974
Opening 5 June, 2010
8 June to 20 November, 2010
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Corpi in azione / Corpi in visione
Esperienze e indagini artistiche 1965/1980
Opening 18 April, 2013
19 April to 15 June, 2013
Exhibitions
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Sculture 1979-2006
Opening 3 October, 2013
4 October to 23 November, 2013
DENNIS OPPENHEIM
Material Interchange. Opere 1968/1974
Opening 5 June, 2010
8 June to 20 November, 2010
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Corpi in azione / Corpi in visione
Esperienze e indagini artistiche 1965/1980
Opening 18 April, 2013
19 April to 15 June, 2013
