Gilberto Zorio was born in Andorno Micca in 1944, he lives and works in Turin. Among the pioneers of Arte Povera, his work is heterogeneous and “alchemical”. After the studies in Turin, he approached bronze sculpture working along foundries, paint factories and hardware. His research has been directed to highlight the expressive potential of industrial materials such as eternit, concrete, rubber and iron, enhancing their qualities of energy and tension. Since the mid-1960s, Gilberto Zorio has been focused on creating works in a constantly changing process, by renewing the language of sculpture far from its traditional stillness and heaviness. By activating chemical and physical reactions and occupying air and sound spaces, the works are involved in a life cycle for which time is an important component because only the passing of hours makes transformations visible. In Gilberto Zorio’s installations, neon lights, electric resistances and metallic sounds merge with archaic and heroic symbols such as the five-pointed star and the canoe.

Gilberto Zorio has been showing his work in numerous exhibitions with the Arte Povera group, and in personal projects such as: Museum of Contemporary Art – Castello di Rivoli, Turin (2017), MAXXI, Rome (2011), MACRO, Rome (2010), MAMbo, Bologna and Palazzo Frissioni, Bergamo (2009), Castillo de Santa Barbara, Alicante (2006), Institut Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt (2005), Dia Center for the Arts, New York (2001), Italian Cultural Institute, Toronto (2000), Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples (1998), Civic Gallery of Contemporary Art, Trento (1996), Institute of Contemporary Art, Amsterdam, Centro Luigi Pecci, Prato, University of California, Berkeley and Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Nice (1992), Romolo Valli Municipal Theater , Reggio Emilia (1988), The Tel Aviv Museum and Stedelijk van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven (1987), Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva and Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (1986), Württembergischer Kunstverein, Stuttgart (1985), Center of Contemporary Art, Syracuse (1983), Loggetta Lombardesca, Ravenna (1982), Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1979), Kunstmuseum, Lucerne (1976). Gilberto Zorio also took part in prestigious international exhibitions: Venice Biennale (2013, 1997, 1995, 1986, 1980, 1978), Documenta, Kassel (1992, 1972), Sydney Biennale (1976), Rome Quadrenniale (2005, 1973).

Among the collective exhibitions in institutions: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia and Parc Culturel de Rentilly (2018), Centro Luigi Pecci, Prato and GNAM, Rome (2017), The Museum of Modern Art, Oslo (2016), MoMA, New York (2013), Museo MADRE, Naples (2011), Institut d’Art Modern, Valencia (2009), Palazzo Grassi, Venice (2008), Museum of Contemporary Art – Castello di Rivoli, Turin (2007), The Estorick Collection, London (2005), Musée de Grenoble (2004), Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney (2002), MAMAC, Nice (2000), Gallery of Modern Art, Bologna (1998), Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne (1997), Guggenheim Museum, New York (1994), Peggy Guggenheim Foundation, Venice (1993), Fundação de Serralves, Porto (1991), Royal Academy of Art, London (1989), Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1980), The Art Institute, Chicago (1977), Kunstverein, Munich (1971), Städtische Kunsthalle, Düsseldorf. His collaboration with Galleria Fumagalli began in 2001 when the artist intervened in the gallery’s spaces by installing several works of his alchemical workshop. On the occasion a catalog was published with a text by Danilo Eccher and a collection of interventions by friends, artists, critics and the gallery owners. In 2005, in co-edition Galleria Fumagalli/Hopefulmonster, another volume is published to accompany Zorio’s exhibition in the halls of the Institute Mathildenhoe in Darmstadt.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

GILBERTO ZORIO

2001

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GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Switch On 3

Opening 23 February 2017
24 February to 1 April 2017

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Switch On

Opening 4 October 2012
5 October to 15 November 2012

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Visioni. 20 artisti a Sant’Agostino

Opening 8 April 2005
9 April to 11 June 2005

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AAVV:30 

Opening 27 November 2004
30 November 2004 to 30 January 2005

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