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Ipotesi per una mostra, 1963
GPO-0051
Hypothesis for an Exhibition
Unrealized project
Ipotesi per una mostra is a project conceived for a solo exhibition at the Galleria La Tartaruga in Rome in 1963 that was never held, however. In the artist's words: “The public of the exhibition was supposed to find itself not before the works exhibited but before another pre-arranged public, which was supposed to fill the gallery and thus constitute the overall image of an exhibition underway. The public, having entered the first room, would find the entrance to the second room (already occupied by the 'pre-existing' public) closed off by a sheet of crystal glass placed in the passageway".1
In this project, for the first time Paolini formulated the involvement of the viewer as an integral part of the work. "In terms of theatrical metaphor, after the repeated closed-door trials, during which all the possible ingredients of the representation were alternated in the most diverse combinations, now the theatre is enlivened by that essential complement that is the presence of the public".2
The artist will go back to the same theme, albeit in other terms, in three later works, made in 1987 (GPO-0593), in 2000 (GPO-0852), and in 2003 (GPO-0880), respectively.
1 G. Paolini in G. Celant, Giulio Paolini (New York: Sonnabend Press, 1972), p. 40 (revised translation, republished in Giulio Paolini 1960-1972, edited by G. Celant [Milan: Fondazione Prada, 2003], p. 126), reprint (Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editoriale, 2019), p. 40.
2 G. Paolini in conversation with M. Disch (2003), in M. Disch, Giulio Paolini. Catalogo ragionato 1960-1999, vol. 1 (Milan: Skira editore, 2008), cat. no. 51 p. 84.
The cut-out figures are from the front and back view photographs commissioned by Giulio Paolini from the photographer Mario Sarotto, after dressing an anonymous mannequin.
| 1977 | Mönchengladbach, Städtisches Museum, Giulio Paolini, 3 March - 11 April, repr. |
| • | G. Paolini in G. Celant, Giulio Paolini (New York: Sonnabend Press, 1972), p. 34; republished in Giulio Paolini 1960-1972, edited by Id. (Milan: Fondazione Prada, 2003), p. 126; reprint (Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editoriale, 2019). |
| • | G. Paolini in conversation with M. Disch (2003), in M. Disch, Giulio Paolini. Catalogo ragionato 1960-1999 (Milan: Skira editore, 2008), cat. no. 51 p. 84. |
| • | G. Paolini in the interview with A. Soldaini, “In dialogo”, in Giulio Paolini. A come Accademia, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Accademia Nazionale di San Luca (Rome: Gangemi Editore, 2023), p. 83. |
| • | G. Celant, “Crónica de Italia. Giulio Paolini y Piero Dorazio”, in Forma nueva el inmueble 14 (Madrid), March, p. 63, not repr.; republished as “Prima della ‘pittura’, Giulio Paolini”, in Marcatrè 30-33 (Milan), July, 1967, p. 269, not repr., and later in Giulio Paolini 1960-1972, edited by Id. (Milan: Fondazione Prada, 2003), p. 206. |
| • | G. Celant, Giulio Paolini (New York: Sonnabend Press, 1972), pp. 33-34, repr. no. 28 pp. 36-37 (detail); republished in Giulio Paolini 1960-1972, op. cit. (Milan: 2003), pp. 122, 126; reprint (Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editoriale, 2019). |
| • | N. Orengo, “Giulio Paolini. Dipingere la pittura”, in Fuoricampo 1, no. 2 (Turin), June, 1973, p. 3, repr. p. 4 (detail). |
| • | I. Calvino, “La squadratura”, in G. Paolini, Idem (Turin: Giulio Einaudi editore, 1975), p. IX, not repr.; republished in Semiotiche della pittura. I classici. Le ricerche, edited by L. Corrain (Rome: Meltemi editore, 2004), p. 227, repr. p. 228; new edition (Milan: Electa, 2023), p. 11, not repr. |
| • | M. Fagiolo, “Glossario”, in Giulio Paolini (Parma: Università di Parma, Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione, 1976), p. 20, repr. no. 40 (detail). |
| • | A.C. Quintavalle, “Paolini: scritture”, ibid., pp. 53-54. |
| • | Giulio Paolini, exhibition catalogue, Mönchengladbach, Städtisches Museum, 1977, repr. |
| • | G. Celant, Ambiente/Arte. Dal Futurismo alla Body Art (Venice: Edizioni La Biennale di Venezia and Alfieri Edizioni d’Arte, 1977), p. 100, not repr. |
| • | Giulio Paolini. Atto unico in tre quadri, exhibition catalogue, Milan, Studio Marconi (Milan: Gabriele Mazzotta editore, 1979), repr. p. 74. |
| • | C. Ferrari, “Giulio Paolini”, in Luoghi del silenzio imparziale, exhibition catalogue, Milan, Palazzo della Permanente (Milan: Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore, 1981), p. 110, not repr. |
| • | Il limite svelato. Artista Cornice Pubblico, exhibition catalogue, Turin, Mole Antonelliana (Milan: Electa, 1981), repr. p. 101, commentary by M.T. Roberto. |
| • | Giulio Paolini, vol. Images/Index (Villeurbanne: Le Nouveau Musée, 1984), repr. p. 14. |
| • | Il modo italiano, exhibition catalogue, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, 1984, vol. 1, repr. p. 118. |
| • | A. Mammì, I. Panicelli, “Giulio Paolini. Bibliografia”, in Giulio Paolini. La Casa di Lucrezio, exhibition catalogue, Spoleto, Palazzo Rosari Spada (Casalecchio di Reno: Grafis Edizioni, 1984), pp. 9-10, not repr.; republished in Markus Lüpertz, Giulio Paolini: figure, colonne, finestre, exhibition catalogue, Rivoli, Castello di Rivoli, 1986, p. 75, not repr. |
| • | C. Spadoni, “Giulio Paolini”, in Figure. Teoria e critica dell’arte 3, no. 7, Rome, 1984, p. 94, not repr.; republished in Id., Storie d’arte e di critica tra Ottocento e Novecento (Imola: Maretti Editore, 2021), p. 249, not. repr. |
| • | G. Paolini, Voix off (Mâcon: Éditions W, 1986), repr. p. 23. |
| • | Giulio Paolini, exhibition catalogue, Stuttgart, Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, 1986, vol. 3, repr. p. 21. |
| • | G. Paolini, Suspense. Breve storia del vuoto in tredici stanze (Florence: Hopeful Monster editore, 1988), repr. p. 147. |
| • | F. Poli, Giulio Paolini (Turin: Lindau, 1990), repr. p. 57. |
| • | Giulio Paolini. Il “Teatro” dell’opera, exhibition catalogue, Pesaro, Galleria Franca Mancini (Ravenna: Agenzia Editoriale Essegi, 1991), repr. p. 25. |
| • | A. Zevi, Giulio Paolini: Le repliche del naufragio / The replicas of the shipwreck, in L’Architettura 37, no. 433 (Rome), November, 1991, p. 907, repr. in negative p. 908. |
| • | A. Zevi, “Three Artistic Generations in Contemporary Italy”, in Three Artistic Generations in Contemporary Italy, exhibition catalogue, Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art, 1993, p. 87, not repr. |
| • | A. Coulange, “La conversion universelle des choses en images”, in Id., Giulio Paolini. Carnets de la commande publique (Paris: Éditions du Regard, 1997), p. 29, repr.; republished in Id., L’œil indiscret (Paris: L’Harmattan, 2003), p.151, not repr. |
| • | M. Disch, “L’atto espositivo. Appunti sul lavoro di Giulio Paolini”, in Giulio Paolini. Von heute bis gestern / Da oggi a ieri, exhibition catalogue, Graz, Neue Galerie im Landesmuseum Joanneum (Ostfildern-Ruit: Cantz Verlag, 1998), pp. 111, 113, repr. p. 199. |
| • | P.G. Castagnoli, “Qui e altrove”, in Giulio Paolini. Da oggi a ieri, exhibition catalogue, Turin, GAM Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (Turin: Hopefulmonster, 1999), p. 13, repr. p. 12. |
| • | M. Disch, “Le sette stanze dell’esposizione. L’opera in prospettiva (l’atto espositivo)”, in Giulio Paolini. Premio Internazionale Koinè 2000 alla carriera, exhibition catalogue, Verona, Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Palazzo Forti (Milan: Electa, 2001), p. 68, not repr. |
| • | Giulio Paolini 1960-1972, op. cit., repr. p. 101. |
| • | F. Poli, “Arte e ambiente”, in Arte contemporanea. Le ricerche internazionali dalla fine degli anni ’50 a oggi, edited by Id. (Milan: Mondadori Electa, 2003), p. 111, repr. p. 110. |
| • | L. Cherubini, "Pasolini e noi", in Pasolini e noi. Relazioni tra arte e cinema, exhibition catalogue, Turin, Archivio di Stato (Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editoriale, 2005), p. 45, not repr. |
| • | A. Zevi, Peripezie del dopoguerra nell’arte italiana (Turin: Giulio Einaudi editore, 2005), p. 288, not repr. |
| • | F. Poli, La scultura del Novecento (Bari: Editori Laterza, 2006), p. 181, not repr. |
| • | A. Bellini, “Giulio Paolini. A Normal Life”, in Flash Art 40, no. 225 (Milan, international edition), July-September, 2007, repr. p. 119. |
| • | L. Conte, “Date e luoghi del grand tour: Giulio Paolini a Roma”, in Risonanze #2. Giulio Paolini & Fabio Vacchi, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Spazio Risonanze, Auditorium Parco della Musica (Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editoriale, 2008), p. 159, repr. p. 15. |
| • | M. Disch, Giulio Paolini. Catalogo ragionato 1960-1999, vol. 1 (Milan: Skira editore, 2008), cat. no. 51 p. 84, repr. |
| • | D. Lancioni, “Un enigma in prospettiva”, in Giulio Paolini. Gli uni e gli altri. L'enigma dell'ora, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Palazzo delle Esposizioni (Milan: Skira editore, 2010), p. 19, repr. p. 18. |
| • | L. Conte, Materia, corpo, azione. Ricerche artistiche processuali tra Europa e Stati Uniti 1966-1970 (Rome-Milan: MAXXI Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI secolo and Mondadori Electa, 2010), p. 74, not repr. |
| • | G. Celant, Arte Povera. Storia e storie (Milan: Mondadori Electa, 2011), pp. 53-54 (text taken from Id., Giulio Paolini, op. cit.), repr. p. 53. |
| • | M.V. Clarelli, “La musealizzazione/museificazione dell'Arte Povera”, in Arte povera 2011, edited by G. Celant (Milan: Mondadori Electa, 2011), p. 444, not repr. |
| • | I. Bernardi, Teatro delle mostre Roma, maggio 1968 (Milan: Scalpendi Editore, 2014), pp. 25, 177, 179, not repr. |
| • | B. Yasar, “’Hypothesis for an Exhibition’”, in “Hypothesis for an Exhibition”, exhibition catalogue, New York, Dominique Lévy Gallery, 2014, p. 31, repr. p. 30. |
| • | E. Dyangani Ose, “Ipotesi per un’istituzione”, in Recto Verso, exhibition catalogue, Milan, Fondazione Prada, 2015 (published as Quaderno 1, no. 4), pp. 21, 23, repr. p. 22. |
| • | Brera in contemporaneo. Fabro, Garutti, Kounellis, Paolini, exhibition catalogue, Milan, Pinacoteca di Brera (Milan: Johan & Levi editore, 2015), repr. p. 209. |
| • | C. Zambianchi, “Riflesso nel tempo. Note sul senso della storia nell’opera di Giulio Paolini”, in S. Bann et al., Il passato al presente. In tema 2 (Turin-Mantua: Fondazione Giulio e Anna Paolini and Corraini Edizioni, 2016), pp. 22, 24, not repr. |
| • | R. Cuomo, Giulio Paolini. Lo spazio, 1967. In collezione 4 (Turin-Mantua: Fondazione Giulio e Anna Paolini and Corraini Edizioni, 2016), pp. 44, 48, repr. p. 49. |
| • | F. Poli, F. Bernardelli, Mettere in scena l’arte contemporanea. Dallo spazio dell’opera allo spazio intorno all’opera (Milan: Johan & Levi, 2016), pp. 44, 118, not repr. |
| • | I. Bernardi, “Giulio Paolini 1963. Un autore (ancora) sconosciuto”, in Arte italiana 1960-1964. Identità culturale, confronti internazionali, modelli americani, edited by F. Fergonzi and F. Tedeschi, proceedings of the study day promoted by Museo del Novecento and Gallerie d’Italia, Milan, 25 October 2013 (Milan: Scalpendi Editore, 2017), pp. 47-49, repr. no. 6 p. 47. |
| • | C. Vecchiarelli, “Arte Povera: Notes on the Genesis of a Movement. The Cultural Function of Italian Galleries during the 1960s”, in Arte Povera Seen by Ingvild Goetz (New York: Hauser & Wirth Publishers, 2017), pp. 206-207, not repr. |
| • | M. Disch, “The Author, the Work and the Viewer: The ‘Performative’ Dimension in Giulio Paolini’s Work”, in Entrare nell’opera. Processes and Performative Attitudes in Arte Povera, exhibition catalogue, Vaduz, Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein (Cologne: Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, 2019), pp. 186, 190, 193, col. repr. |
| • | L. Cherubini, “Amori Loro”, in L’uomo e l’arte, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Erica Ravenna Arte Contemporanea (Rome: Maretti Editore, 2021), p. 24, not repr. |
| • | A. Soldaini, G. Paolini, “In dialogo”, in Giulio Paolini. A come Accademia, exhibition catalogue, Rome, Accademia Nazionale di San Luca (Rome: Gangemi Editore, 2023), p. 93, repr. p. 83. |
Entry by Maddalena Disch, 28/02/2025
