Piero Gilardi was born in 1942 in Turin, where he lives and works. Starting from the early 60s, he has been creating sculptures in polyurethane foam, the “Tappeti-natura”: meadows, gardens, vegetable gardens, undergrowth, beaches and river beds presented in an evolved and enhanced transgenic form. At the end of the 60s he approached Arte Povera and Land Art, continuing to focus on the theoretical and practical analysis of the pairing “Art” and “Life”. His visual art activity joined the political milieu in the “Nuova Sinistra”, embracing the artistic movements of collective and spontaneous creativity, acting in particular in the African suburbs and in the American Natives lands. During the ’80s and the ’90s Piero Gilardi developed a series of interactive multimedia installations such as the IXIANA Project for a technological park, presented at the Parc de la Villette in Paris. He is a member of the Artistic Direction Committee of the PAV – Parco Arte Vivente project in Turin.

Among his most important personal exhibitions held in institutions: Accademia di Belle Arti, Carrara e Museo MAXXI, Roma (2017), PAV – Parco Arte Vivente, Turin and Nottingham Contemporary Art, Nottingham (2013), Van Abbemuséum, Eindhoven and Museum of Contemporary Art – Castello di Rivoli (2012), Centre Creation d’Art Contemporaine, Tours (2010), Galleria Civica, Modena (2006), Loggetta Lombardesca, Ravenna (1999), Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (1989), Palazzo dei Diamanti, Ferrara (1985). In 1993 he takes part in the XLV Biennale in Venice. Among the numerous group exhibitions: MUDAM, Luxembourg (2018), PAV – Parco Arte Vivente, Torino (2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013), Museum of Contemporary Art – Castello di Rivoli (2013), Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Vaduz (2010), Centro Luigi Pecci, Prato (2008), MAMCO, Geneva (2003), Tate Modern, London and Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2001), La Triennale, Milan (2000), Palacio de Cristallo, Madrid (1990), Grand Palais, Paris (1987), Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (1968).

He was founder together with Claude Faure and Piotr Kowalski of the association Ars Technica, promoter in Turin of the international exhibitions “Arslab. Metodi ed Emozioni” (1992), “Arslab. I Sensi del Virtuale” (1995), “Arslab. I labirinti del corpo in gioco” (1999). He is author of three theoretical books: “Dall’arte alla vita, dalla vita all’arte” (La Salamandra, Milano 1981), “Not for Sale” (Mazzotta, Milano 2000 e Les Presses du réel, Dijon 2003) and “La mia biopolitica. Arte e lotte del vivente. Scritti 1963-2014” (Prearo, 2016). He writes for art magazines such as Juliet and Flash Art. His collaboration with Galleria Fumagalli began in 1995 with a personal exhibition where he presented a series of “Tappeti natura”, followed by the publication of a volume with an interview by Marco Meneguzzo and a historical survey of his work from 1963 to 1995.

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SOLO EXHIBITIONS

PIERO GILARDI
…Attraverso un cambiamento di natura

 1995

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GROUP EXHIBITIONS

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Opening 4 October 2012
5 October to 15 November 2012

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AAVV:30

Opening 27 November 2004
30 November 2004 to 20 January 2005

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Uscita di sicurezza

October 1996

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