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Giorgio Griffa

Biography

Giorgio Griffa was born in Turin in 1936. In 1958 he obtained a law degree and began his activity as a lawyer who would never give up. For ten years he studied painting until in 1968 he decided to give up all representative elements. In those years he breathed the Turin atmosphere of Arte Povera. However, while the poor people abandon the brushes, Griffa strongly believes in painting and re-interprets it with the most basic traits (points, lines, signs, etc.) that have always been present in the hand of Man and therefore indispensable. He immediately eliminates the frame that limits the field, and is fascinated by the un-finished. In each of his works he never fills the canvas and this while on the one hand leaves room for imagination, on the other he makes each work the ideal continuation of the previous one. In this way he studies the strongly symbolic character of human experience that "has thirty thousand years of memory". His work is thus based on the Primary Signs and this will be his unmistakable imprint.

It starts immediately with important exhibitions first from Martano (1968) and then from Sperone (1969). Already in 1970 he was noticed by Ileana Sonnabend who set up two exhibitions, first in New York and then in Paris. After the cycle called Quasi dipinto, between 1973 and 1975 it performs almost exclusively Horizontal Lines. In the following years he began to coexist on the canvas sequences of different signs: it is the cycle of Connections. These are the years in which he makes use of a minimalist reflection for a new consideration of the imposing memory of painting. Warning: Griffa is far from minimalist. Indeed, for him memory is the foundation for which he uses precisely those simple signs "that belong to everyone's hand", to highlight his "putting himself at the service of painting", "relying on the memory of painting", "limiting himself to the simple gesture of placing the brush". In 1978 he was invited to the XXXVIII Venice Biennale. In 1980 he had a personal room at the XXXIX Venice Biennale. In the 1980s with contaminations he often flanked the signs with wide background painting, that is, he also uses color always as a memory of painting. At the beginning of the 1990s began the important cycle Three lines with Arabesque in which each work always contains, among other signs, three lines and an arabesque. The purpose of numbering is to set the time of execution. This cycle is joined by that of numbering. Here the numbers on the canvas indicate the order in which the various colors were laid. In this case, the number series emphasizes the time order and the very development of the event in space. Since 2008 he has been working at the Golden Section and introduces among the signs that irrational number without end that never proceeds or approaches the next one but instead screws into the unknown, a kind of explanatory note of his work. According to Griffa, painting has the task of making the unspeakable known, of revealing that unknown that science is unable to reveal.

Giorgio Griffa, artist-philosopher, is also the author of numerous books including: Non c'è rosa senza spine (1975), Cani sciolti antichisti (1980), Drugstore Parnassus (1981), In nascita di Cibera (1989), Il principio di indeterminazione (1994), di Segno in Segno (with M. Corgnati) (1995), Come un dialogo (1997), Approdo a Gilania (1998), Intelligence of matter (2000), In the footsteps of the Cantos (2001), Note on the representation of space (2003), Post scriptum (2005), I flaneur del paleolithic (2014), Il paradosso del più nel meno (with G. Garesio, M. Corgnati and R. Mastroianni) (2014).

Among the most recent personal ones are those at MACRO in Rome in 2011, at the Mies Van der Rohe Haus in Berlin in 2012, at Trinity College Dublin in 2014, at the Centre Art Contemporain in Geneva in 2015, at the Kunsthalle in Bergen 2015, at the Giuliani Foundation in Rome in 2016, at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh in Arles in 2016, at the Serralves Museum in Porto in 2016 , at the Camden Arts Centre in London in 2018, and the one now close to the Lille Museum.

In 2012 for her exhibition "Fragments 1968-2012" at the Casey Kaplan Gallery in New York, Roberta Smith wrote in the New York Times: 'Her art deserves a place in the world history of abstractionism.' His works are in the most prestigious private and institutional collections, in Italy and abroad. In 2013 the Tate acquired the large canvas "Horizontal Signs", 146x188 cm, from 1975, and put it on permanent display.

In 2017 he was again invited to the LVII Venice Biennale.

Giorgio Griffa lives and works in Turin

Tags: Giorgio Griffa - Griffa - arabesque

Giorgio Griffa - Analytical Painting

Analytical Painting, otherwise called Painting-Painting,developed in Italy in the late 1960s on the back of similar French and German experiences. Analytical Painting is detached from the relationship between the work and its meaning, obvious (figurative) or underlying (conceptual) or expressive (abstractism), but focuses on a kind of introspective investigation of the intrinsic elements that constitute it, namely canvas, frame, color, sign, and the relationship between the work and its author. The epicentre of this movement was certainly Italian and was carried out by a large group of artists including Claudio Olivieri, Elio Marchegiani, Riccardo Guarneri, Giorgio Griffa, Rodolfo Aricò and Gianfranco Zappettini. The movement had international resonance consecrated by exhibitions at European private museums and galleries, including The Museum of Modern Art in Paris, the Venice Biennale, Documenta of Kassel. The drive that Analytical Art had in the artistic environment resulted in the Trans-Avant-garde,a movement that led to the reappreciable appreciation of painting

Tags: Analytical Painting - Painting Painting - Riccardo Guarneri - Gianfranco Zappettini

Giorgio Griffa

Works for sale

Giorgio Griffa - Tre linee con arabesco num. 81 (Three lines with arabesque nnumber 81)

Tre linee con arabesco num. 81 (Three lines with arabesque nnumber 81)

Year : 1991

Dimensions : cm 32x20

Technique : water color on paper

Giorgio Griffa - Campo giallo (Yellow field)

Campo giallo (Yellow field)

Year : 1988

Dimensions : cm 87x83

Technique : acrylic on canvas (flap)

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Due linee rosse (Two red lines)

Due linee rosse (Two red lines)

Year : 1987

Dimensions : cm 65x114

Technique : acrylic on jute

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Archiblu (Archiblu)

Archiblu (Archiblu)

Year : 2007

Dimensions : cm 70x98

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authenication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1975

Dimensions : cm 50,5x48,5

Technique : acrilico su cotone

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa

Unavailable Works

Giorgio Griffa - Campo rosso (Rouge field)

Campo rosso (Rouge field)

Year : 1989

Dimensions : cm 52x77

Technique : acrylic on canvas (flap)

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Tre linee con arabesco 1540 (Three lines with arabesque 1540)

Tre linee con arabesco 1540 (Three lines with arabesque 1540)

Year : 1995

Dimensions : cm 100x136

Technique : acrylic on cotton

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Untitled

Untitled

Year : 2006

Dimensions : cm 24x30

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1978

Dimensions : cm 119x114

Technique : acrilico su juta

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1973

Dimensions : cm 52x48

Technique : acrilico su cotone

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1973

Dimensions : cm 52x48

Technique : acrilico su cotone

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1974

Dimensions : cm 100x100

Technique : acrilico su juta

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1975

Dimensions : cm 100x97

Technique : acrilico su juta

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1975

Dimensions : cm 100x97

Technique : acrilico su juta

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1975

Dimensions : cm 51x51

Technique : acrilico su cotone

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1977

Dimensions : cm 77,5x86

Technique : acrilico su juta

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1977

Dimensions : cm 101x101

Technique : acrilico su cotone

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1977

Dimensions : cm 98,5x103

Technique : acrilico su juta

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1978

Dimensions : cm 90x97

Technique : acrilico su cotone

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1979

Dimensions : cm 90x97

Technique : acrilico su cotone

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Senza titolo

Senza titolo

Year : 1979

Dimensions : cm 74,5x119

Technique : acrilico su juta

Authentication : autentica di Giorgio Griffa su foto

Giorgio Griffa - Tre linee con arabesco (Three lines with Arabesque 1463)

Tre linee con arabesco (Three lines with Arabesque 1463)

Year : 1994

Dimensions : cm 80x90

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Sign and color

Sign and color

Year : 1991

Dimensions : cm 25x32

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Without title

Without title

Year : 1984

Dimensions : cm 55x42

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Green field

Green field

Year : 2005

Dimensions : cm 75x87

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Pink field

Pink field

Year : 2006

Dimensions : cm 59x96

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Oblique

Oblique

Year : 1973

Dimensions : cm 45x73

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Horizontal lines

Horizontal lines

Year : 1973

Dimensions : cm 39x69

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three blue lines

Three blue lines

Year : 1986

Dimensions : cm 46x32

Technique : acrylic on canvas

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 748

Three lines with arabesque n° 748

Year : 1993

Dimensions : cm 25x32

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 1598

Three lines with arabesque n° 1598

Year : 1995

Dimensions : cm 25x32

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 388

Three lines with arabesque n° 388

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 31x23

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque no. 1192

Three lines with arabesque no. 1192

Year : 1994

Dimensions : cm 33x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque no. 1533

Three lines with arabesque no. 1533

Year : 1995

Dimensions : cm 25x32

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 1409

Three lines with arabesque n° 1409

Year : 1994

Dimensions : cm 33x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 86

Three lines with arabesque n° 86

Year : 1991

Dimensions : cm 32x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Sign and color

Sign and color

Year : 1996

Dimensions : cm 25x31

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque no. 1541

Three lines with arabesque no. 1541

Year : 1995

Dimensions : cm 25x32

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Without title

Without title

Year : 1978

Dimensions : 24x32

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 547

Three lines with arabesque n° 547

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque no. 12

Three lines with arabesque no. 12

Year : 1991

Dimensions : cm 32x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 793

Three lines with arabesque n° 793

Year : 1993

Dimensions : cm 33x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 1080

Three lines with arabesque n° 1080

Year : 1993

Dimensions : cm 36x26

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 1083

Three lines with arabesque n° 1083

Year : 1993

Dimensions : cm 36x26

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 522

Three lines with arabesque n° 522

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 33x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 425

Three lines with arabesque n° 425

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 32x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 635

Three lines with arabesque n° 635

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 33x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 581

Three lines with arabesque n° 581

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 33x25

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 566

Three lines with arabesque n° 566

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 556

Three lines with arabesque n° 556

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 554

Three lines with arabesque n° 554

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 552

Three lines with arabesque n° 552

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 550

Three lines with arabesque n° 550

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 549

Three lines with arabesque n° 549

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 539

Three lines with arabesque n° 539

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 537

Three lines with arabesque n° 537

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 18x13

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

Giorgio Griffa - Three lines with arabesque n° 447

Three lines with arabesque n° 447

Year : 1992

Dimensions : cm 24x18

Technique : watercolor on paper

Authentication : authentication on photo by Giorgio Griffa

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