The exhibition showcases twelve remarkable works on paper, created between 1959 and
1963, during a period of radical experimentation when Kounellis began presenting the
fundamental components of communication: numbers, arrows, symbols, and letters. By
isolating these elements and placing them on plain surfaces, Kounellis removes them from
their usual context, drawing the viewer's focus to their form and meaning.
This approach gave rise to his renowned Alfabeti series, initiated shortly after developing
works inspired by signage from the urban landscape. Influenced by his experiences in
Rome's everyday life, these combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols represented the
personal language of the artist.
This exhibition captures that unique “charontian” moment between the presence and the
absence of the human gesture. In the work "Piraeus" the landscape of the Greek port
mutates, with the piers and cranes migrating towards letters and signs. In the Alfabeti, using
various types of paper, Kounellis applies these symbols with stencils and eliminates the
traces of the "artist's hand".
The results of this experimentation were exhibited in the Alfabeto di Kounellis show at La
Tartaruga gallery in Rome. Concerned that his art might become trapped in the repetitive
use of standardised everyday imagery akin to Pop art, Kounellis shifted his focus in 1965
toward materials, natural elements, and the essence of living, making these works on paper
a fine and rare example of Kounellis language.
Jannis Kounellis - Alfabeto, Early Works on Paper press release
Download
