Gladstone presents an unprecedented exhibition of historical works by the late Greek artist Jannis Kounellis (1936–2017), one of the defining figures of Arte Povera, opening November 6 in New York. Several of the works have never been shown in a gallery exhibition in the United States. Bringing together a group of works made between 1965 and 1969, the exhibition captures the pivotal years in which Kounellis moved from the canvas to begin his lifelong experimentation with the Arte Povera sensibility.
Jannis Kounellis (1936–2017) was born in Piraeus, Greece. The backdrops to his childhood were World War II and ten years of civil war in Greece. In 1956, he moved to Rome, where he spent the rest of his life. By 1960, he was an active member of the Arte Povera movement.
Kounellis's work has appeared in key, historical exhibitions such as the first Arte Povera exhibition, Arte Povera, Galleria La Bertesca, Genova, Italy (1967); When Attitudes Become Form, Kunsthalle Bern, Switzerland (1969); Documenta 5 in Kassel, Germany (1972).