Hermann Nitsch / Fotografie di Stefano Fontebasso De Martino

Curated by Ivan D’Alberto

In collaboration with Magazzini Fotografici of Naples and with the patronage of the Hermann Nitsch Museum of Naples

The exhibition Hermann NITSCH | photographs by Stefano FONTEBASSO DE MARTINO, opening on October 14, 2022 at 6:30 PM in the spaces of Magazzini Fotografici, proudly contributes to strengthening the increasingly dense network of collaborations that YAG/garage of Pescara is developing with the most active institutions promoting contemporary art in Italy.

Curated by Ivan D’Alberto, theorist and historian of contemporary art as well as director of YAG/garage, the exhibition is realized in collaboration with Magazzini Fotografici, directed by Yvonne De Rosa, and is held under the patronage of the Hermann Nitsch Museum of Naples. On display is a series of photographic shots taken by the Roman artist Stefano Fontebasso De Martino of the Viennese master Hermann Nitsch, on the occasion of the 108.lehraktion, a performance that took place on July 5, 2001, at the Galleria Comunale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea – Exhibition Spaces of the former Peroni Factory in Rome. The 108th Lehraktion (2001), curated by Lóránd Hegyi and the Fondazione Morra in Naples, inaugurated the exhibition Le tribù dell’Arte II, a project curated by Achille Bonito Oliva, and aimed to provide, through practical examples, some fundamental elements of Hermann Nitsch’s Orgien Mysterien Theater.

During the performance, the Viennese master explained the value that “actions” acquire within his work, while also offering insights into his aesthetic theory. Specifically, the 108.lehraktion took shape through the placement of a series of tables occupying the entire central hall of the GCAM space. The artist then covered the tables with tablecloths on which he arranged pieces of meat and various species of fish. Once the setup was completed, a ceremony lasting approximately one hour began, involving “acti ons” with food and drink, the diffusion of fragrant incense, and direct engagement with the participating audience. The entire performance was documented through photographs and video.

The photographic documentation by Stefano Fontebasso De Martino has remained unpublished until now. The exhibition at Magazzini Fotografici consists of nine photographs and presents an exhibition proposal fully aligned with the documentary approach that has always characterized the work of the Roman photographer. This is a working method that has involved numerous nationally and internationally renowned artists, portraye d in spontaneous situations, during performances or actions, in studios or galleries whi le exhibitions were being installed. These images capture and enhance the instant as a moment within a broader creative process inherent to the making of art.

Exhibition hours