ART CITIES: PARIS-Arte Povera

The exhibition “Arte Povera “ spreads across the three levels of the immense Bourse de Commerce, a historic building that gathers the crème de la crème of contemporary art—the Arte Povera artists at their finest—with unique and exceptional artworks, firmly inscribed in the history of contemporary art through the Pinault Collection. The curating is extraordinary, with the artists arranged in such a way that their displays resemble small solo exhibitions nested within one another, coexisting almost magically. This is a paradigm exhibition in terms of curation, fostering dialogue between the artworks, free of disparities, in perfect harmony and balance. Its management is exemplary, with young guides striving to lead tours, explain, and initiate conversations with the audience—though this effort seems almost unnecessary because the exhibition itself is so well-structured, with clear messages that reach their audience directly and are fully comprehensible. Yet, despite all this, there remains an inexplicable void that cannot be filled. I glance at the polished mosaics on the floor, the rotunda, and the architectural masses surrounding us, and instinctively touch the freshly painted walls that mimic the texture of concrete without actually being it. This detail offers the explanation: it is an excellent exhibition in an unsuitable space. Everything around feels overly tidy and sterile, while the type of art being presented—Arte povera, art made from humble materials—exists in an environment that is sanitized, devoid of breath, failing to exude its messages and essence. “And where else could you imagine seeing this exhibition?” Dimitris asks me as he takes photos incessantly. He too feels that something is missing from this exhibition. “At the Palais de Tokyo,” I replied. That’s its natural home, where the concrete is authentic and the atmosphere is primed to embrace such an exhibition, to support it and elevate it. -Efi Michalarou

Works by: Giovanni Anselmo, Alighiero Boetti, Pier Paolo Calzolari, Luciano Fabro, Jannis Kounellis, Mario Merz, Marisa Merz, Giulio Paolini, Pino Pascali, Giuseppe Penone, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Emilio Prini, and Gilberto Zorio

Photo: Exhibition view “Arte Povera”, Bourse de Commerce, Pinault Collection-Paris, 2024, Photo: © & Courtesy Dimitris Lempesis

Info: Curator: Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Bourse de Commerce, Pinault Collection, 2 rue de Viarmes, Paris, France, Duration: 9/10/2024-20/1/2025, Days & Hours: Mon-Thu & Sat-Sun 11:00-19:00, Fri 11:00-21:00, www.pinaultcollection.com/