Germano Celant facts for kids

Germano Celant (born September 11, 1940 – died April 29, 2020) was an important Italian art expert. He was an art historian, a critic (someone who writes about art), and a curator (someone who organizes art shows). He is famous for creating the term "Arte Povera" in 1967. This term means "poor art" and became a big idea in the art world. Celant wrote many articles and books about art.

Germano Celant's Work in Art

Early Life and the Birth of "Arte Povera"

Germano Celant was born in Genoa, Italy. He studied art history at the University of Genoa. In 1963, he worked for a magazine called Marcatrè, which covered art, design, and music.

In 1967, Celant published his famous writing, Notes for a Guerilla War, in a magazine called Flash Art. This writing introduced the idea of "Arte Povera." This art style was different from the "pop art" popular in America at the time. American pop artists like Andy Warhol used images from everyday life and machines. Italian "Arte Povera" artists wanted to show more human feelings and use simple, everyday materials.

Developing "Arte Povera"

"Arte Povera" art groups formed in two main cities in Italy: Turin and Rome. In Turin, artists like Michelangelo Pistoletto and Mario Merz were involved. In Rome, artists included Alighiero Boetti and Jannis Kounellis.

Celant helped organize many "Arte Povera" art shows. These included exhibitions in Genoa (1967) and Bologna (1968). He also put together a three-day art event called "Arte Povera & Azioni Povere" in Amalfi (1968).

Curating Major Art Exhibitions

Germano Celant organized many important art shows about Italian art. In 1981, he curated "Identité italienne" in Paris. He also helped with "Italian art, 1900–1945" in Venice in 1989. In 1994, he curated "Italian Metamorphosis 1943–1968" at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

In 1997, he was the director of the Venice Biennale, a very famous art exhibition. In 2004, he organized the "Art and Architecture" show in Genoa. From 1977, he wrote for Artforum magazine. From 1991, he also wrote for Interview magazine.

Working with Famous Museums and Foundations

In 1988, Celant became a Senior Curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. This meant he was in charge of modern art at the museum.

From 1993, Celant was the Artistic Director of the Prada Foundation in Milan. Under his leadership, this foundation showed works by many famous artists. These included Louise Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor, and Steve McQueen.

In 2009, Celant organized a large show about the artist John Wesley in Venice. In 2012, his show "The Small Utopia. Ars Multiplicata" looked at how artists use copies and reproductions in their art. It featured over 600 items from 1900 to 1975.

Celant also curated other exhibitions. In 2012, he organized a show called “Lucio Fontana: Ambienti Spaziali” at the Gagosian Gallery in New York. In 2016, he was the Project Director for "The Floating Piers," a famous art project by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Italy.

Personal Life

Germano Celant was married to Paris Murray, who was also an art curator. In 2006, they bought a large house in Milan that used to be a paper factory.

Death

Germano Celant passed away in Milan on April 29, 2020. He was 79 years old. He died from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.

See also

In Spanish: Germano Celant para niños