Janis Kounellis is a Greek Italian artist that spent much of his creative in Rome. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 80. He had a prolific career and was well regarded at every level of the art world.
The exhibition at the Prada Foundation, Venice was by far of one of the most memorable of the trip. The curators created an incredible cross section of works that really tapped in his core ideas. Since 1967, Kounellis became associated with Arte Povera, a movement theorized by curator Germano Celant, in which artist you every day materials and activities to create their work; they moved away from simple works on the wall to installations that often occupied an entire room. Other notable artist peers include Alighiero Boetti, Luciano Fabro, Giulio Paolini, Pino Pascali and Emilio Prini.
In addition to selecting seminal works, both from the Prada’s inventor and private collections, the exhibition was beautifully installed in the historic Ca’ Corner Della Regina palazzo. The beautifully proportioned space was the perfect setting for this strong show.
