Farewell Nanni Balestrini (1935-2019)

Museion expresses its deepest condolences for the loss of Nanni Balestrini (1935-2019). A poet, artist and writer, Nanni Balestrini is one of the figures who has contributed most to the development of Italian literature and art in the last fifty years. In the 1960s he was part of the Neoavanguardia (New Vanguard) movement, and one of the Novissimi and 63 Group poets. Balestrini conducted intense research in the visual field. He was the first to write poems in 1961 with the use of a computer. An author of poetry and various novels on the conflicts of the 1970s, Balestrini’s research was transversal, which was typical of twentieth century avant-garde movements.

One of his recent successes was the infinite film Tristanoil, presented in 2012 at dOCUMENTA, Kassel. IA work that combines ecological issues with criticism, an infinite production of media images and the current degeneration of the capitalist system. The film was also presented at Museion as part of the artist’s solo exhibition “Oltre la poesia” (Beyond Poetry) (2014-2015). There are over a hundred of the artist’s works in the Museion collection, and together, they offer a complete panorama of his research while also demonstrating the radical nature of his thinking and his openness to all forms of media innovation.

“Nanni Balestrini has always been an important part of Museion’s collection and exhibition history on account of his ability to constantly renew his art and always be an attentive antenna to the contemporary world. His art is more contemporary than ever. In 2014-15 Museion organised a solo exhibition for Nanni Balestrini “Oltre la poesia” - and his work will also be part of an exhibition scheduled for this autumn: “Intermedia. Archivio di Nuova Scrittura”, in collaboration with Mart – the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento e Rovereto.”- Letizia Ragaglia, the Museion Director.