Ponti Art Gallery is interested in buying and selling works
of art by this artist.
Piero Manzoni Biography
Piero Manzoni, born Piero Meroni Manzoni di Chiosca e Poggiolo on July 13, 1933, in Soncino, Italy, was an avant-garde artist whose brief yet impactful career left an indelible mark on the landscape of contemporary art. Manzoni's work, characterized by its innovative and provocative nature, challenged conventional notions of art and the artist's role in society. Despite his premature death at the age of 29 on February 6, 1963, in Milan, Italy, Manzoni's legacy continues to influence and inspire artists around the world.
Manzoni was born into an aristocratic family, with his father, Egisto Manzoni, being a count. This noble lineage, however, did not confine him to a traditional path. Instead, Manzoni pursued art with a fervor that would see him become one of the most radical figures of the 20th century. Largely self-taught, Manzoni's early works were influenced by the Milanese proponents of Nuclear Art, such as Enrico Baj, but he quickly moved beyond these influences to develop a unique artistic language.
In the late 1950s, Manzoni began experimenting with materials and concepts that would define his career. His Achromes, created from 1957 onwards, were monochromatic canvases that eschewed color to focus on texture and materiality. Using kaolin, a type of clay, as well as other unconventional materials like bread rolls, cotton wool, and fiberglass, Manzoni sought to remove the artist's hand from the creation process, a radical departure from the expressive gestures of contemporary art movements like Abstract Expressionism.
Manzoni's conceptual explorations extended beyond the Achromes. In 1961, he produced one of his most notorious works, "Artist's Shit" (Merda d'artista), consisting of 90 tin cans purportedly filled with his own feces. This provocative piece challenged the art market and the commodification of art, questioning the value and authenticity of the art object. The cans were originally priced according to their weight in gold, a satirical commentary on the art market's absurdities.
Another significant work was "Living Sculptures" (Sculture viventi), where Manzoni declared living people as art by signing them, thus transforming human beings into artworks. This act of certification played with notions of authorship and identity, further blurring the lines between life and art.
Manzoni was also a key figure in the development of conceptual art and the Arte Povera movement. His work anticipated and directly influenced a generation of Italian artists who would come together under the Arte Povera banner in the late 1960s. Through his ironic approach and critical engagement with the art world, Manzoni laid the groundwork for artists to explore the relationship between art, society, and the marketplace in new and challenging ways.
Despite his short life, Manzoni was prolific, leaving behind a body of work that continues to challenge and provoke. His art has been the subject of numerous international exhibitions, attesting to his enduring influence. From the Herning Kunstmuseum in Germany to the Museu de Arte Moderna in Brazil, Manzoni's work has been celebrated and studied for its groundbreaking contributions to contemporary art.
Manzoni's legacy is not just in the objects he created but in the questions he posed about the nature of art and the role of the artist. By pushing the boundaries of what art could be, Manzoni invited us to reconsider our assumptions and to see the world anew. His work remains a testament to the power of art to challenge, to provoke, and to inspire.
Piero Manzoni Quotes and Sales
of Works
Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the
artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and
evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current
market values.
If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the
artist, contact us immediately.
If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the
works:
Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back,
and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of
the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work
and any kind of available documentation (purchase
receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One
of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We
guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme
professionalism.
If you wish to purchase works by the painter: Contact us
and let us know your request. We will inform you about the
available works. We also offer the possibility to
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informed at the beginning of each month about the latest
acquisitions of the art gallery.
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