Mazzoleni is pleased to present the first solo exhibition dedicated to Marcello Morandini at its Turin venue, marking the sixtieth anniversary of the artist’s career. The exhibition showcases Morandini’s tireless pursuit of movement in space, which he translates into the realm of geometry through twists, tensions, expansions, and formal superimpositions.

“Stages of a becoming” is how Gillo Dorfles described Morandini’s works in the 1968 Venice Biennale catalogue —forms “of evident functional absurdity” that constitute their allure: “a mathematical fascination, yet of an absurd mathematics, where precision serves the purpose of wonder“.

Morandini’s work stands out for its geometric rigour and chromatic minimalism. In the artist’s own words, his research is defined by “works that have been and continue to be the partial result of a ‘Calvinist’ pursuit, which over time has also shaped the moral quality of my life.”

His works are part of numerous national and international collections and have been featured in solo exhibitions such as the 1968 Venice Biennale, Documenta Kassel in 1977, Museum Bochum in 1985, Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Rome in 2014, and Ma*GA in Gallarate in 2016.

From the beginning of Morandini’s research, his abstract, geometric, systematic, and rationalist approach has prioritised structure and form, developing variations and transformations in a methodical way. The expressive force that characterises his work stems not only from his direct connection to the artistic creations and theories of the twentieth century but also from contemporary movements with which he remains in perfect harmony—primarily the Werkbund, the Bauhaus, the De Stijl movement, and the Manifesto of Concrete Art. Morandini rejects the use of colour, focusing instead on black and white, often interweaving forms, as seen in the twists of 494B-2005 or the superimpositions of 98D-1971_2009. In the sculpture 224A-1975, the materialisation of a rotating form results in a rare complexity.

Since the 1980s, ambitious architectural projects have been realised primarily in Germany, Singapore, and Malaysia, as well as in Varese, where he has lived since 1946. “All my artworks,” the artist states, “are born under the sign of architecture, and even the field of design can largely be defined as an architecture of everyday use.” Examples of this architectural research include the 220-metre-long façade of the Thomas Factory in Speichersdorf, Bavaria (1984), and the more recent Das Kleine Museum in Weissenstadt (2007).

The exhibition is curated by the artist himself and the Fondazione Marcello Morandini, established in December 2016, with its museum venue opening in Varese at the end of 2021. The Foundation was created with the aim of establishing a museum dedicated to the artist, preserving and enhancing his works in art, design, and architecture, and promoting knowledge of International Concrete and Constructivist Art.