Rosso, 1965-71
Shaped canvas and vinyl tempera
40 × 32 × 2 inches | 100 × 80 × 3.5 cm
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Agostino Bonalumi (b. 1935, Vimercate, Italy – d. 2013, Desio, Italy) was a pioneering Italian artist renowned for his contributions to contemporary art. He first showcased his work at the “Premio Nazionale Città di Vimercate” in 1948, when he was just thirteen. He studied technical and mechanical drawing at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, where he developed his distinctive style, before his first solo exhibition at Galleria Totti in Milan in 1956. Influenced by Lucio Fontana, Bonalumi developed the concept of “pittura – oggetto” (painting-object), pushing beyond traditional canvas boundaries. His innovative approach involved shaped canvases and reliefs that engaged dynamically with light and space.
Bonalumi's career was marked by international recognition and collaborations. He had strong connections with the German art scene and was featured in a personal room at the 35th Venice Biennale in 1970, where he presented large environmental sculptures. His work took him to Mediterranean countries and the USA, including a brief period in New York where he introduced his work at the Bonino Gallery. Bonalumi also made significant contributions to theatrical design, creating scenery and costumes for major productions such as the Partita ballet in Verona and Rot at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome. Following his death in Monza in 2013, the Robilant + Voena Gallery in London held a retrospective in October 2013, highlighting his work from the 1950s to the 1970s with the exhibition “Agostino Bonalumi: All the Shapes of Space 1958–1976.”