BOOK:Piero Manzoni-An Artist’s Life, Gagosian

The biography “Piero Manzoni: An Artist’s Life”  published by Gagosian in collaboration with the Fondazione Piero Manzoni and authored by Flaminio Gualdoni, first appeared in Italian in 2013, published by Johan & Levi Editore. The book traces the guiding themes of Manzoni’s iconic, experimental body of work through the lens of his rapid and diverse creative development, as well as the artistic partnerships he formed within the Italian and European avant-gardes. The biography begins with an in-depth account of Manzoni’s personal life and family history, presenting a nuanced, intimate portrayal of a young man from Soncino, Italy. The book follows Manzoni’s development into a mature artist who immersed himself so deeply in his art making that he was able to create a seminal body of work over the course of a single decade that continues to resonate with audiences today, more than fifty years later. A historical record on the life of Manzoni is long overdue and promises to renew inquiries into the extraordinary oeuvre he left behind.-Dimitris Lempesis