Art Povera’s Marisa Merz honoured with trio of Turin shows
Three institutions are collaborating to mark the centenary of the movement’s only female artist
A major exhibition celebrating Marisa Merz, the only female artist of the Arte Povera movement, will open at three institutions in Turin this week. The exhibition, titled "The Dance of the Hours," marks 100 years since Merz's birth and is an unprecedented undertaking, potentially never to be repeated. Although it will be the largest exhibition dedicated to Merz, it is not without precedent, as the same institutions collaborated in 2005 to honor her late husband and collaborator, Mario Merz, following his death in 2003.
Francesco Manacorda, co-curator of the exhibition at Castello di Rivoli, explains that the centenary provides an opportunity to explore Merz's career and legacy. The estate, represented by Fondazione Merz, retains the majority of her works, including sculpture, works on paper, and documented actions. However, the collaboration offers more than exceptional access, as it provides three different approaches to Merz, yielding a "polyphonic" Marisa that brings out the mystery she created around herself.
Ten contemporary artists were commissioned to respond to Merz at Castello di Rivoli, contributing to a "piece of art history." Despite receiving considerable acclaim, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale in 2013, Merz often deliberately slipped from view. The details of her life prior to her marriage in 1960 are sketchy, and the reasons for her decision to step back from solo shows in the mid-1980s remain unclear. Some theories suggest it was a feminist choice or due to a dislike of competition or attention.
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