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The Premiere of a Play That Will Never Run, Presentation The Premiere of a Play That Will Never Run, Francesco Vezzoli, 2007 Francesco Vezzoli, 1971- Technical description of the artwork

The Premiere of a Play That Will Never Run, Francesco Vezzoli, 2007

Title:… ……………………………………………………… The Premiere of a Play That Will Never Run Artist:……………………………………………………………………………………… Francesco Vezzoli Date:… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2007 Edition number:…………………………………………………………………………………………… 1/1 Dimensions:… ………………………………………………………………………………… 134 × 180 cm

At the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in October 27, 2007 Francesco Vezzoli restagged Right You Are (If You Think You Are), the renowned play by Italian Nobel Laureate Luigi Pirandello that examines the fundamental ambiguity of truth.

Vezzoli assembled an extraordinary cast of top-billed actors, implicating his audience in an investi- gation of rumour and celebrity mongering as substitutes for a deeper understanding of the individual.

Pirandello, like Vezzoli in his own art, points to these empty distractions as a means of drawing attention to existential and humanist concerns. Vezzoli’s visionary approach to Pirandello’s jewel of a work playfully exposes the relativity of truth, the necessity of illusion, and the instability of the human persona.

This work is the sole trace of Right You Are (If You Think You Are), performed at the Guggenheim Mu- seum in New York in 2007. Featuring in the performance were many celebrities including Cate Blan- chett and Muccia Prada. The significance of this work’s rarity and history further adds to its importance. Biography

Francesco Vezzoli was born in Brescia in Italy in return to Italy, he created his first film series 1971. At an early age he left for where entitled An Embroidered Trilogy (1997-99) in he studied at Central St. Martin’s School of Art which he projects himself as an inert embroide- from 1992 until 1995. Despite his young age, rer, unmoved by the melodramatic performance his work has already been exhibited all over the of famous divas going on around him. In 1999, world. Vezzoli is fascinated by the role of cultu- Vezzoli began creating his now signature works ral icons in collective thought; by the concept depicting well-known actresses, models and of glory, power and talent; as well as society’s musicians. On these laser-printed portraits, he apparent attraction to such aspects. then stitched metallic threads that are supposed to represent tears and blood.

With his embroidered portraits, Vezzoli has ap- propriated one of the most forgotten domestic The concept of appropriation is a key aspect in activities in society nowadays. Among his first Vezzoli’s work. He shows a particular interest in works are tapestries depicting business cards of artists, fashion designers and film producers whose prostitutes or portraits of porn stars such as Jeff vision and approach is constantly changing.

Stryker. Through embroidery, Vezzoli establishes As a child Vezzoli admired Bruce Nauman’s re- a link between himself as an artist, celebrities and jection of a specific form. Film producer Stanley his audience. This medium remains a recurring Kubrick followed suit, creating a unique visual aspect of his work, be it as a physical finished universe in each film. In fashion, Vezzoli is fas- work or as part of his video performances. Vezzo- cinated by designers such as Miuccia Prada and li’s use of embroidery, an activity of the past, is a Yves Saint-Laurent and their ability to create an reaction to the artistic scene in London during the entirely new range of clothing for each season. 90s that conceptualised his education. Despite his international status, Vezzoli strives to diversify his works in order to prevent people The personality of the other is key in Vezzoli’s from associating his work with a unique form and work, in which he adapts and distorts those fea- style. For example, whilst a variety of his video tured. During the first eight years of his career performances could be described as theatrical (and among other activities), he embroidered productions, others are more conceptual. In the replicas of abstract paintings paying homage to same way, some are humorous, others are sad. , Frank Stella, and Va- sarely. Recently he has produced tapestries de- Via his work, Vezzoli engages with the cult of picting the works of Giorgio de Chirico. the celebrity, working with personalities such Vezzoli is also known for his video perfor- as Marisa Berenson, models such as Verusch- mances, evoking films by renowned film pro- ka and Bianca Jagger, combining artistic intel- ducers such as Cocteau and Truffaut. Upon his ligence and popular culture with the pure and Biography (continued) simple kitsch. with celebrities, the impact of desire and the

The film, Non-Love Meetings (2004) in the se- imaginary when faced with society, politics and ries Trilogy of Death (2004) presents a television the hegemony of the Mass Media. quiz in which the candidates must show off their various talents to win the love of various cele- The artist breaches these subjects through the brities such as . In Trailer use of media featured in today’s society: com- for a Remake of ’s “” (2005), mercial cinema, television, press and publicity, Vezzoli produces a decadent trailer for a non- political jargon and the art market. Moreover existent remake of the 1970 film Caligula. he uses celebrities such as Carlo de Palma, Ro- In the falsely autobiographical film Marlene Re- man Polanski, Helmut Berger, and dux: A True Story!, the artist imagines many others to convey his point of view. Vezzo- his own downfall as a result of his obsession li’s ability to adopt a position that he himself cri- with icons, gaining recognition and Hollywood. ticises allows him to engage with contradiction Democrazy (2007), a double projection of two and provoke controversy. video campaigns, shows Sharon Stone and the French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy as can- For the artist, style becomes a means of seduc- didates for the White House, playing on the tion, an instrument that man uses to be loved. concept of role-play and performance seen du- This concept is even more apparent in fashion. ring the 2008 US presidential elections. The perfect parallel could therefore be esta- blished when comparing the way in which style In 2007, Vezzoli put on Right You Are (If You evolves in the world of fashion and that of art. Think You Are) with Luigi Pirandello at the Gug- Through this dynamic of seduction, Vezzoli re- genheim Museum of New York. The only remai- minds us that form — in art or elsewhere — is ning trace of this famous performance is a single never a simple discussion. theatre poster that Vezzoli commissioned.

Francesco Vezzoli lives and works in Milan. He In 2009, the artist confronts once again the idea is currently represented by Larry Gagosian and of art and consumerism in his court-metrage Yvon Lambert, Gallery NEU in Berlin, as well Greed. Launched by Gagosian Gallery, Vezzoli as Gio Marconi and Franco Noero in Italy. In put together an advert for a fake-perfume, with 2011, the SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of well-known actresses Natalie Portman and Mi- Modern Art), the MAXXI (Museum of 20th Cen- chelle Williams playing the lead roles. The ad- tury National Art) in Rome and the MATHAF vert itself was directed by . (Arab Museum of Modern Art) in Doha will pre-

Vezzoli took much inspiration from the film wri- sent solo exhibitions of the artist. ter and producer ’s fascination solo exhibitions

1999 2006

“An Embroiddered Trilogy” Galleria d’Arte Moderna “Francesco Vezzoli” Le Consortium Bologna • Italy Dijon • France “An Embroiddered Trilogy” The British School at Rome “The Bruce Nauman Trilogy” Galerie NEU Rome • Italy Berlin • Germany “An Embroiddered Trilogy” Galleria Gio Marconi “Francesco Vezoli’s Caligula” Museum of Contemporary Art Milan • Italy Belgrade • Serbia “An Embroiddered Trilogy” Centre d’art contemporain “Francesco Vezzoli’s Marlene Redux: A True Hollywood Geneva • Switzerland Story!” Tate Modern “Francesco Vezzoli” Anthony d’Offay Gallery London • United Kingdom London • United Kingdom “Francesco Vezzoli: The Gore Vidal Trilogy” Gagosian Gallery Beverly Hills • USA 2000 2007 “Francesco Vezzoli, A Love Trilogy – Self Portrait with Marisa Berenson as Edith Piaf” “A true Hollywood Story” The Power Plant Spazio Aperto, Galleria d’Arte Moderna Toronto • Canada Bologna • Italy “Democrazy” Pinakothek der Moderne Munich • Germany “Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal’s Caligula” 2002 Kino im Museum “Die Handarbeiten von Francesco Vezzoli / Cologne • Germany The Needleworks of Francesco Vezzoli” “Cosi E (se vi pare) from Luigi Pirandella, Performa 2007” Galerie fur Zeitgenossische Kunst Guggenheim Museum Leipzig • Germany New York • USA “Francesco by Francesco” Galleria Gio Marconi Milan • Italy 2009 “Francesco Vezzoli” Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporary Art “A true Hollywood Story!” Turin • Italy Kunsthalle Vienna project space Karlspatz “The films of Francesco Vezzoli” Vienna • Austria New Museum of Contemporary Art “À chacun sa vérité” Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume New York • USA Paris • France “GREED, A New Fragrance by Fransesco Vezzoli” Gagosian Gallery 2004 Rome • Italy “Premo Acacia 2004” Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea Milan • Italy 2010 “Trilogia della Morte” Milan • Italy “Fransesco Vezzoli” Garage Center for Contemporary Culture Moscow • Russia 2005 2011 “Francesco Vezzoli” Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Serralves “Fransesco Vezzoli” La Conservera Porto • Portugal Ceuti • Spain “Sacrilegio” Gagosian Gallery New York • USA Group shows

1997 “A Sense of Wellbeing: Loss, History and Desires” Palace of the Imperial Thermal Baths “Made in Italy” Centre d’Art Contemporain Karlovy Vary • Czech Republic Geneva • Switzerland “Generator 3” Baluardo di San Regolo, Botanical Garden “Made in Italy” Institiute of Contemporary Art Lucca • Italy London • United Kingdom “Platea dell ‘umanita” 49th Venice Biennial “Made in Italy” The Institiute of Contemporary Art Venice • Italy Boston • USA “Boom! Espresso. Art Today in Italy” Manifattura Tabacchi Firenze • Italy 1998 “Haraldur Jonsson, Annika Strom, Francesco Vezzoli” Contemporary Art Center “La conscienza lucciante” Palazzo delle Esposizioni Vilnius • Lituania Rome • Italy “Squatters” Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Serralves “Fast Forward: New Italyn Film Makers and Video Artists” Porto • Portugal Brown University “SurFace” Konsthall Providence Lund • Switzerland Rhode Island • USA “Remedy for Melancholy, Sollentuna” Switzerland and Baltic Art Center 1999 Visby • Switzerland “Omaggi Oltraggi” “Magic and Loss, Pandaemonium” The LUX Center Claudia Gian Ferrari Arte Contemporanea Biennial of Moving Images 2001 Milan • Italy London • United Kingdom “The Passion and the Wave” 6th International “East Wing Collection No.05” Courtauld Institute of Art Istanbul • Turquey London • United Kingdom “Exit: International Film & Video” Chisenhale Gallery London • United Kingdom 2002 “VideodRome” New Museum of Contemporary Art “Campy Vampy Tacky” La Criée New York • USA Rennes • France “Disturb” Hydra School Project 2000 Hydra • Greece st “Migrazioni. Premier pour les jeunes artistes Italyns” “VideoZone” 1 International Video Art Biennial in Israel Centro per le arti contemporanee Center for Contemporary Art Rome • Italy Tel Aviv • Israel “Generator” Trevi Museum “Iposeti di collezione” Musée d’Arte Contemporanea Trevi-Perugia Italy Rome • Italy “Arts & Facts” Galleria Franco Noero “Premio del Golfo 2002” Turin • Italy Biennale Européenne des Arts Visuels “Group Show” Anthony d’Offay Gallery Palazzo dello Sport London • United Kingdom La Spezia • Italy “Verso il Futuro, Identita nell’arte Italyna 1990-2002” Museo del Corso 2001 Rome • Italy “Ouverture… arte dall’Italy” Tirana Biennale 1 Galleria Comunale d’Arte Contemporanea Tirana • Albany Monfalcone-Gorizia • Italy Group shows (continued)

“Melodrama” “The Future Has a Silver Lining, Genealogies of Glamour” Centro-Museo Vasco de Arte Contemporaneo Migros Museum Fur Vitoria • Italy Zurich • Switzerland “De Gustibus, collection privée Italy” Palazzo delle Papesse “Lucio Fontana” Museum Franz Gertsch Centro Arte Contemporanea Burgdorf • Switzerland Sienna • Italy “Experiments with Truth” The Fabric Workshop and Museum “International 2002” 2nd Liverpool Biennale Philadelphia • USA Liverpool • United Kingdom “Angelo Filomeno, Simon Periton, Philip Taaffe, “Penetration” Francesco Vezzoli” Gorney Bravin + Lee Friedrich Petzel Gallery, Marianne Boesky Gallery New York • USA New York • USA “Spring Forward” Chanel SoHo 2005 New York • USA “Superstars: Von Warhol bis Madonna” Kunsthalle Vienna Vienna • Austria 2003 “Contrabandistas de Imagenes” 26th São Paulo Biennial “Carte blanche a Philippe Terrier-Hermann” Espacio Quinta Centre national des arts plastiques São Paulo • Brasilia Paris • France “Normal” Museo de Arte Contemporaneo “Progetto Video” Sala Murat Santiago • Chile Bari • Italy “Expanded Painting” 2nd Prague Biennale “New Space! Group Show!” Galleria Franco Noero Karlin Hall Turin • Italy Prague Czech • Republic “Il racconto del filo: ricamo e cucito nell’arte contemporane” Kolnischer Kunstverein Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Cologne • Germany di Trento e Rovereto “Omaggio al quadrato” Galleria Franco Noero Trento • Italy Turin • Italy “Fantastic Prophecy” Academiegalerie “BYO. Bring Your Own” Museo d’Arte Provincia di Nuoro Utrecht • Netherlands Nuoro • Italy “Black Box” Edinburgh International Film Festival “Dall’occhio elettronico. La Collection Vidéo de Castello Edinburgh College of Art di Rivoli Museo d’ArteContemporanea” Edinburgh • Scotland Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Turin • Italy “L’esperienza dell’arte, Padiglione Italy” 51st Venice Biennial 2004 Venice • Italy “Rapresentacoes Nacionais” 26th São Paulo Biennial “Chronos. Il tempo nell’arte dall’epoca barocca all’eta Pavilhao Ciccillo Matarazzo contemporanea” São Paulo • Brasilia Centro sperimentale per le arti contemporanee “Nuit Blanche” Hopital Cochin Caraglio • Italy Port Royal Chapter House “Francesco Vezzoli, Trilogia della Mort” Paris • France Fondazione Giorgio Cini “L’arte in testa. Storia di un’ossessione da Picasso a oggi” Venice • Italy Museo Arte Contemporanea “Fuori tema” XIV Quadriennale di Rome Isernia • Italy Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna “Noctural Emissions” Groninger Museum Rome • Italy Groningen • Netherlands “Lo squardo Italyno, Fotografie Italyne di moda dal “Untitled (As Yet), Centre, Vrac” Konkordija Cultural 1951 a ogg” Rotonda di Via Besana Belgrade • Serbia Milan • Italy Group shows (continued)

“Girls On Film” Zwirner & Wirth “Day for Night” 2006 New York • USA Whitney Museum of American Art “African Queen” The Studio Museum in Harlem New York • USA New York • USA 2007 2006 “Common Threads” “Video Venice: Highlights from the 2005 Venice Biennal” Illingworth Kerr Gallery at Alberta College of Art The Adelaide Festival of Arts Calgary • Canada Adelaide • Australia “Idylle – Zwischen Traum und Trugschluss” “Hollywood Boulevard” Galeria Fortes Vilaca Galerie der Stadt Remscheid São Paulo • Brasilia Remscheid • Germany “HyperDesign” Shanghai Biennial “Deutsche Geschichten” Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Shanghai Art Museum Leipzig • Germany Shanghai • Chine “BoysCraft” Haifa Museum of Art “Figures de l’auteur. Le Paradoxe du comédien” Haifa • Israel Collection Lambert “Francesco Vezzoli, Democrazy, Padiglione Italyno” Avignon • France 52nd Venice Biennial “Review : Vidéos et Films, collection Pierre Huberté” Venice • Italy Centre National d’Art Contemporain “Vertigo: Il secolo di arte off-media dal Futurismo al web” Grenoble • France Museo d’Arte Moderna “La Force de l’Art” Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais Bologna • Italy Paris • France “Les Fleurs du Mal” “40 Years” Yvon Lambert Museo di Arte Contemporanea del Sannio Paris • France Benevento • Italy “Highlights from the KunstFilmBiennale Koln in Berlin” “Apocallittici e Integrati : Utopia nell’art Italyna di oggi” KW Institute for Contemporary Art Museo Nazionale Arti XXI Secolo Berlin • Germany Rome • Italy “Neo-con. Contemporary Returns to Conceptual Art” “LOOKING UP” Galeria Mario Sequeira Apexart, New York and The British School at Rome Braga • Portugal Rome • Italy “Idilio I – DA2” Domus Artium 2002 “À la recherche d’une beauté perdue : hommage a Luchino Salamanca • Spain Visconti” Galleria Communale d’Arte Contemporanea 2nd Biennial of New Visual Art Performance Montfalcone-Gorizia • Italy New York • USA “People. Volti, corpi e segni contemporanei nella colle- “Senso Unico” Museum of Modern Art zione di Ernesto Esposito” New York • USA Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina “Common Threads” Confederation Center of the Arts Naples • Italy Charlottetown • USA “Satellite of Love” Center for Contemporary Art “Reverence” Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art Rotterdam • Netherlands Peekskill • USA “Dirty Yoga” Taipei Fine Arts Museum Taipei • Taïwan 2008 “A Short History of Performance – Part IV” Whitechapel Art Gallery “NEU at dépendance” Dépendance London • United Kingdom Brussels • Belgium “Yes Bruce Nauman” Zwimmer & Wirth “REVIEW” Galerie NEU New York • USA Berlin • Germany Group shows (continued)

“Bildertausch 3” 2010 Neupräsentation der Sammlung Marli Hoppe-Ritter “I Believe in Miracles” Collection Lambert Museum Ritter Avignon • France Waldenbuch • Germany “SI – SindRome Italyna” MAGASIN “Italics : Arte Italyna fra Tradizione e Rivoluzione, Centre National d’Art Contemporain 1968-2008” Palazzo Grassi Grenoble • France Fondation François Pinault “Verbotene Liebe: Kunst im Sog von Fernsehen” Venice • Italy Cologneischer Kunstverein “Le Grand Tour” Académie de France à Rome Cologne • Germany Villa Médicis “Cosa fa la mia anima mentre sto lavorando ?” Rome • Italy Civica Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Gallarte “A Room of One’s Own” Gallarte • Italy Museo d’arte contemporanea Castello di Rivoli “Spqzio. The Scene and the Imaginary” Turin • Italy Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo “Gewoon Anders! Just Different!” Cobra Museum Rome • Italy Amstelveen • Netherlands “Linguaggi e Sperimentazioni. Giovani artisti in una colle- “Todas as historias” Museu de Arte Contemporânea zione contemporanea” Porto • Portugal Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea “The Dawn of Tomorrow – Contemporary art in Italy from di Trento e Rovereto Italyn collections” Proje4L Rovereto • Italy Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art “Che cosa sono le nuvole ?” MUSEION Istanbul • Turquey Museum für moderne und zeitgenössische Kunst “Martian Museum of Terrstrial Art” Barbican artgallery Bolzano • Italy London • United Kingdom “Sur le Dandysme Aujourd’hui” “Starstrucke” The New Art Gallery Walsall Centro Galeo de Arte Contemporanea Walsall • United Kingdom Santiago de Compostela • Spain “The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality, and the Moving Image” Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Washington • USA

2009

“Sounds And Vision” Tel Aviv Museum of Art Tel Aviv • Israel “Dali Dali feaTuring Fransesco Vezzoli” Moderna Museet Stockholm • Sweden “The Art of Fashion” Museum Boijmans van Beuningen Rotterdam • Netherlands “Un certain État du Monde ? A Certain State of the World?” Garage Center for Contemporary Culture Moscow • Russia “Italics: Italyn Art between Tradition and Revolution, 1968-2008” Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago • USA Collections and Galleries presenting the artist

COLLECTIONS GALLERIES

Belgium France Vanhaerents Art Collection Brussels Yvon Lambert Paris

Germany Germany Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig Galerie NEU Berlin

Italy Italy Museo Arte Contemporanea Isernia Isernia Gagosian Gallery Rome Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Castello di Rivoli Turin Gio Marconi Milan Trevi Flash Art Museum Of Contemporary Art Trevi Galeria Franco Noero Turin Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Verona USA USA Yvon Lambert New York Museum of Contemporary Art Grand Avenue Gagosian Gallery Beverly Hills Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum New York

bibliographies (selection)

1999 2007

The Needleworks of Francesco Vezzoli Jan Winkelmann Francesco Vezzoli. Democrazy Ida Gianelli Hatje Cantz Electa, Mondadori

2002 2008

Francesco Vezzoli Marcella Beccaria and Francesco Vezzoli Francesco Vezzoli: Right You are (If You Think You Are) Castello de Rivoli Michael Herbert Charta Francesco Vezzoli: A True Hollywood Story 2005 Gregory Burke Francesco Vezzoli Marcella Beccaria Power Plant Skira

2010 2006 Dali Dali featuring Francesco Vezzoli Francesco Vezzoli and Francesco Vezzoli John Peter Nilsson, Caroline Corbetta, Fondazione Prada Davis Lomas and Hal Foster Steidl Verlag Press review (selection)

2011 Le cinéma de Bernard-henri Lévy Dominique de Montvalon Le Parisien Question de style Art Forum Stars, politique et vidéo Michèle Champenois Mother Love Dodie Kazanjian Le Monde2 Vogue Francesco Vezzoli Mariuccia Casadio L’UOMO Vogue • No. 381 2009 Francesco Vezzoli. Talk about Democrazy, 2007 Francesco Vezzoli’s Eaux de Faux Linda Yablonsky Scott Rothkopf New York Times Artforum A gala celebration for MoCA Jessica Gelt Biennale de Venise. Le meilleur et le pire Fabrice Bousteau & Isabelle De Wavrin Beaux Arts magazine • No. 277 2008 2006 Francesco’s Vezzoli’s Right You Are (If You Think You Are), by Luigi Pirandello at the Guggenheim Museum « Caligula » Gives a Toga Party Linda Yablonski Elizabeth C.Baker New York Times Art in America Francesco Vezzoli Jody Zellen Sur la trace des dieux enfuis François Legrand Artpress • No. 325 Connaissance des Arts • HS No. 360 Art and Artifice Nancy Spector Frieze 2005 Performa 07 Katie Sonnenborn Toga Party Alessandra Ilar Frieze W Les têtes de l’art Anne-Cécile Sanchez Bad Education Luca Corbetta Le Nouvel Obstyles • No. 8 I-D Francesco Vezzoli Helena Kontova Flash Art Performa 07 NY 2004 In Domus Francesco Vezzoli, Comizi di non Amore Anette Frisch Flash Art • No. 236 2007 Idole Eric Troncy Numéro avril The Italian Rapscallion – Performance artist Francesco Miuccia Prada Herbert Muschamp Vezzoli has his celebrity cake and eats it, too Amy Larocca New York Times Magazine New York Magazine Francesco Vezzoli Gianfranco Maraniello Alright on the night Tyler Coburn ArtPress • No. 300 Artreview Une biennale CALLE ... FEUTRÉE Raphaël Morata 2002 Point de Vue • No. 3074 Francesco Vezzoli. Interview Alessio Ascari, Francesco Vezzoli Richard Flood Mousse. Free contemporary art magazine ArtForum BHL ou Sharon Stone for President! Catherine Schwaab Paris Match 2000 Les visages de l’Art Jean-Max Colard and Claire Moulène les Inrockuptibles • No. 603 Francesco Vezzoli Lorcan O’Neill Sharon Stone et BHL présidents à Venise Vogue Hommes François-Guillaume Lorrain Embridered Divas Caroline Corbetta Le Point • No. 1812 The Nordic Review • No. 6 Certificate For more information: www.afmarkets.net | [email protected] A&F Markets | 267 rue Lecourbe, F-75015 Paris, France