Lot 126 , Michelangelo Pistoletto, Italian b. 1933, 'Girasoli (Sunflowers)'

§ Michelangelo Pistoletto (Italian, b. 1933)
'Girasoli (Sunflowers)'
signed and numbered XII/XV in black felt pen verso,
silkscreen on steel mirror,
100cm x 70cm

Provenance: The Tanyards Collection, East Sussex

A leading figure in the development of Arte Povera and Conceptualism, Michelangelo Pistoletto is best known for his “mirror paintings,” which he first made with grounds of metallic paint on canvas before rejecting canvas altogether, in favor of screen-printing on polished steel. The beguiling results overlay figurative elements on flat, reflective surfaces. This implicates viewers, who look back at themselves while looking at the art. Conceptual themes of representation and interactivity prevail throughout Pistoletto’s oeuvre, also figuring into his early sculptural projects such as his “minus objects,” which explore how everyday items might become art. Pistoletto has participated in many editions of Documenta and the Venice Biennale. In 2003, he won the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. His work has sold for seven figures at auction and belongs in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate, the Centre Pompidou, the Museo Reina Sofía, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

£800-1,200