From 20 October to 23 December 2016, VNH Gallery & GALLERIA CONTINUA will present RESPECT, a multifaceted exhibition developed in three phases and focusing on one of the principle figures of Arte Povera: Michelangelo Pistoletto.
Organised in three main sections relating to art, education and politics, RESPECT will identify the fundamentals that drive the artist's approach in his quest for the "Third Paradise" - that elusive point of equilibrium that exists at the junction of two opposite yet related concepts: nature/artifice, feminine/masculine, individual/society, reason/emotion, democracy/tyranny.
Beginning outside the gallery, a large representation of Pistoletto’s emblematic "Third Paradise" symbol will initiate a retrospective consisting of historical works that highlight the multidisciplinary practice of the Italian artist.
A spirited, free-flowing conversation with curator Hans-Ulrich Obrist and Mehdi Meklat, Badroudine Said Abdallah, and Abdellah Taïa will offer the opportunity to form a deeper understanding of the concept of "respect," a fundamental theme for Pistoletto and one especially relevant to our current historical moment.
In addition, 23 mirrors will be set up and subsequently shattered as part of a performance by the artist, who will thus reveal the word "RESPECT" in the world’s most spoken languages.
The political dimension will be present through an exploration of the concepts of democracy and tyranny through two historical works deriving from Pistoletto’s 1975 performances "Raggi di Persone" and "La Conferenza", both of which remain particularly relevant.
RESPECT will be the most important exhibition of Michelangelo Pistoletto in Paris since the Louvre Museum’s 2013 show, organized by Marie-Laure Bernadac in collaboration with the GALLERIA CONTINUA.
RESPECT is the second collaboration between VNH Gallery and the GALLERIA CONTINUA. Both venues share the same desire to show a selection of artists from different generations and backgrounds working across various modes of expression: performance, poetry reading, discussion, etc. RESPECT is presented following exhibitions and projects dedicated to Friedrich Kunath, Kris Martin, Mircea Cantor, Eduardo Basualdo, Pascale-Marthine Tayou, Benoit Maire, Olivier Mosset, and Mai-Thu Perret.
October 20 at 4:30 p.m.: Conversation led by Hans-Ulrich Obrist
October 20 at 6:00 p.m.: A performance by Michelangelo Pistoletto to be presented during Gallery Night of the 2016 FIAC
VNH GALLERY
108 rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris
Press opening on Thursday 20 October from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Exchange and performance during Gallery Night of the 2016 FIAC
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