Arte Povera Reimagined: Jannis Kounellis at Tate Modern
Jannis Kounellis transforms commonplace materials, infused with history and significance, into poetic amalgamations.
Jannis Kounellis (1936–2017), born in Piraeus, Greece, and later based in Rome, initially drew inspiration from street signs for his paintings. Gradually reducing them to letters, numbers, and symbols on plain backgrounds, he expanded into performance and sculpture while considering himself primarily a painter. A key figure in the Italian arte povera movement during the late 1960s, Kounellis utilized ordinary materials to bring art closer to everyday life.
His works, influenced by the societal shifts in 1960s Italy, juxtapose contrasting elements like raw wood and steel beams or colorful glass with black coal. Transformative installations alter gallery architecture, while others, incorporating objects like bells and coffee beans, carry rich sensorial and cultural associations, evoking familiar sounds and smells.
ARTIST ROOMS, Tate Modern, Jannis Kounellis, Bells 1993 in the background.
Jannis Kounellis, Coal Sculpture with Wall of Coloured Glass 1990–2005
Jannis Kounellis, Bells 1993
Jannis Kounellis, Untitled (Hanging Knife) 1991
Tate ModernBlavatnik Building Level 4
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