Getulio Alviani

Getulio Alviani (1939 ) is an Italian painter born in Udine. He is considered to be an important International Optical - Kinetic artist.

Life and work

Since childhood Alviani showed talent for design and geometric drawing. He enrolled in the Venice Artistic school, but soon showed little interest in his studies, spending afternoons in Venice's museums in contemplation of classical masterpieces. He also started making little works for local architect, and helped local artists in inking projects such as etchings.

His first artistic works were the "wires", inspired by aerial electric wires, still but potent with energy. Then he was fascinated by some polished alumnium surfaces found in a factory in which he was working: after further polishing and abrasion he created his landmark "Superfici a testura vibratile" (vibrating texture surfaces) that gave him international acclaim. Alviani's alumnium surfaces saw him invited to the Zagreb exhibition "Nove Tendencije", together with other artists following a similar paths: exploring the opportunities of a dynamic art which interacts with the beholder. He started exchanging ideas with artists like Gerhard Richter, Alberto Biasi, Julio Le Parc, Francois Morellet and Enrico Castellani, actively partecipating at the studios of the so-called G.R.A.V. (Groupe de Recherche d'Art Visuelle) in Paris.

Moving to Milan, he became friends with Piero Manzoni and Lucio Fontana, who was very interested in his works and bought some of his "surfaces". He also worked with other famous artists like Max Bill and Josef Albers. In 1964 he was invited to show at the Venice Biennale, successfully sharing a room with Enrico Castellani.

In subsequent years Alviani won international acclaim: at Kassel's Documenta he exhibited a big vibrating surface; in [1965] he took part in what was considered to be one of the top exhibitions of the decade: "The responsive eye" at the New York MoMa, together with all the world's most famous artists of Kinetic and Programmed Art. His work was so successful it was purchased by MoMa itself and chosen as the cover image representing the museum's next exhibition: "The New Acquisitions".

Throughout the 1970's he travelled continually, mainly in South America, and accepted, upon request of Jesús-Rafael Soto, the directorship of the modern art museum of Ciudad Bolivar. He was again an invitee at the Venice Biennale in 1984, 1986 and 1993. Since 2000 he has been shown in many important exhibitions: Milan Triennale, Graz Kunsthaus, Siena Palazzo delle Papesse, Rome Academie de France, Buenos Aires Biennale, the travelling exhibits "Light, movement and programming", in important German museums, and in the Rome Quadriennale.

Alviani's works are actively traded in italian and international modern art auctions, such as the "Italian sales" held in London by Christie's and Sotheby's. Among his works the most appreciated by the market are the "Superfici a testura variabile" where the polished aluminium reflects the light in different hues according to the angle at which they are viewed.Other works by Alviani are the "chromodynamic surfaces", where primary colour interactions are studied, and his "mirrors" with their illusion of rings created on reflecting metal surfaces.

References

;References in Italian

* "Getulio Alviani", Catalogo, Ferrara, 1980
* "L'arte Contemporanea, da Cèzanne alle ultime tendenze", Renato Barilli, Feltrinelli, Milano, 1984
* "Storia dell'arte contemporanea in Italia", Renato Barilli, Bollati Boringhieri, Torino, 2007
* "Peripezie del dopoguerra nell'arte Italiana", Adachiara Zevi, Einaudi, 2005
* "L'iperluce di Alviani", M. Fagiolo dell'Arco, Bulzoni, Roma, 1964
* "Getulio Alviani - Tra Ieri e Oggi", Ed. Galleria Spazia, Bologna, 2002

;References in English or in Italian with English text

* "Camera Con Vista", Catalogo della Mostra - Palazzo Reale, Milano, 2007
* "The Responsive Eye", William C Seitz - The Museum of Modern Art - NY - 1965

ee also

*Abstract Art
*Kinetic Art
*Op Art

ource

* This article draws from the corresponding article in the Italian Wikipedia.