Piero Gilardi

Italy

Piero Gilardi was born in Turin in 1942 and studied at the Art School and at the Accademia Albertina in Turin. A pioneer in the technological art experience, in the 60’s Gilardi was one of the protagonists of the Nouveau Realisme and the European Pop Art. In 1963 he realised his first private exhibit “Machines For the Future”; two years later he conceived the first pieces in polyurethane foam for Gufram, and started to display his works in several cultural poles in the world — among them Paris, Brussels, Cologne, Hamburg, Amsterdam and New York. From 1968 he adhered to the new artistic trends of the period — Arte Povera, Land Art, Anti-form Art, — and collaborated at the realization of some international reviews. With the coming of the 80’s, Gilardi went on pursuing his activity in the world of art. In 1985 he started an artistic research calling for the use of new technologies, aimed at the realisation of the project “IXIANA”. Together with Claude Faure and Piotr Kowalski, he funded the International association ‘Ars Technica’, for which he is responsible for the Italian section. Since 2002 he is active in the project for the realisation of the Parco d’Arte Vivente (PAV) of the Turin municipality, of which he was president. His works are displayed in the most important art museums in the world. He published two books: “Dall’arte alla vita, dalla vita all’arte” (“From Art to Life; From Life to Art”) and “Not For Sale”. He lives and works in Turin.