Dimostrazione, 1974-75
GPO-0300
Demonstration
Chalk on blackboard, easels
Two blackboards 58.5 x 78 cm each, overall dimensions variable
Private collection
Two blackboards, exhibited on two easels facing each other and located at a certain distance from each other, and on a diagonal axis with respect to the room, each present the perspectival drawing of the vis-à-vis element.
Each of the facing elements records itself or its equal, that is, it confirms or verifies the situation captured by our gaze before the work. The demonstration in question does not just concern the object called into play, but also and above all the visual act that captures it.
In the artist's own words: “‘Demonstration’ is perhaps one of those words that are best used to verify the boundaries, both conventional and undecipherable, of the signs of language. I found it to be suited to defining an aspect of perception that tends, in fact, to demonstrate itself”1.
The same theme, formulated for the first time in 1974 with two canvases (GPO-0272), was also developed in two other variants made during the same year (GPO-0299, GPO-0312).
1 G. Paolini, Idem (Turin: Giulio Einaudi editore, 1975), p. 92, new edition (Milan: Electa, 2023), p. 118.
| 1975 | Rome, Galleria D’Alessandro-Ferranti, Giulio Paolini, from 11 October. |
| 1977 | New York, Sperone-Westwater-Fischer, Giulio Paolini, 15 January - 15 February. |
| 1989 | New York, Sperone Westwater, Early Conceptual Works: Barry, Boetti, Buren, Huebler, Kosuth, Paolini, Weiner, January. |
| 2010-11 | Vaduz, Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Che fare? Arte povera – Die historischen Jahre, 7 May - 5 September, touring to: Linz, Lentos Kunstmuseum, 18 February - 29 May 2011, cited in the checklist of exhibited works p. 372, col. repr. p. 45 (exhibition view in Vaduz), repr. p. 208 (exhibition view Rome 1975), catalogue entry by M. Disch p. 208 (idem in the English edition); in the exhibition guide (Vaduz) cited in the checklist of exhibited works no. 44 p. 17, not repr. |
| 2012 | Weimar, Neues Museum, Arte Povera aus der Sammlung des Kunstmuseums Liechtenstein, 28 August - 21 September, cited in the checklist of exhibited works p. 99, col. repr. p. 67 (installation view at Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Vaduz), catalogue entry by F. Malsch p. 66, referred to in the text by F. Malsch pp. 16-17. |
| 2013-14 | Rome, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Anni 70. Arte a Roma, 17 December 2013 - 2 March 2014, cited in the checklist of exhibited works p. 317 (with explanatory note), repr. p. 159 (exhibition view Rome 1975), referred to in the text by D. Lancioni p. 121. |
| 2017 | Vaduz, Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, installation of the Collection, 9 June - 3 September. |
| • | G. Paolini, Idem (Turin: Giulio Einaudi editore, 1975), p. 92, new edition (Milan: Electa, 2023), p. 118. |
| • | M. Fagiolo, “Glossario”, in Giulio Paolini (Parma: Università di Parma, Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione, 1976), p. 20, repr. no. 185 (exhibition view Rome 1975). |
| • | Identité Italienne. L’art en Italie depuis 1959, edited by G. Celant (Paris-Florence: Centre Georges Pompidou and Centro Di, 1981), repr. p. 489 (exhibition view Rome 1975). |
| • | Storia moderna dell’arte in Italia. Manifesti, polemiche, documenti, vol. III: Tra Neorealismo ed anni Novanta 1945-1990, edited by P. Barocchi (Turin: Giulio Einaudi editore, 1992), repr. no. 103 (exhibition view Rome 1975). |
| • | M. Disch, Giulio Paolini. Catalogo ragionato 1960-1999, vol. 1 (Milan: Skira editore, 2008), cat. no. 300 p. 309, repr. (exhibition view Rome 1975). |
| • | J. Meinhardt, “Vedere ed essere visti. Giulio Paolini e lo sguardo”, in E. Franz et al., Giulio Paolini. Vedo e non vedo. In tema 1 (Turin-Mantua: Fondazione Giulio e Anna Paolini and Corraini Edizioni, 2014), p. 100, col. repr. p. 80 (installation view at Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, Vaduz). |
| • | Giulio Paolini. A come Accademia, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Accademia Nazionale di San Luca (Rome: Gangemi Editore, 2023), repr. p. 145 (exhibition view Rome 1975). |
