Getulio Alviani (b. 1939)

Private Collection, Scandinavia
Thence by descent

Hovikodden, Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Gromholts-Samling, November 28, 1973-January 1974, no. 1

This work is ready to hang. The aluminum elements are secure and stable. There are isolated, minor/faint surface scuffs that are present.
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One of the leading members of the Optical-Kinetic art movement, Italian-born Gitulio Alviani advanced the kinetic theories of visual perception through the interplay of materials and light. Transplanting himself to Milan in 1961, Alviani found himself in the hotbed of a new post-war art scene, interacting with and exhibiting alongside Lucio Fontana (whom he considered a mentor), Julio Le Parc, Jesús Rafael Soto, and Piero Manzoni, among others. 

Alviani’s luminous aluminum structures known as Superfici a testura vibratile, are his most emblematic works. The reflections of light against the polished, industrial surfaces of systematically placed plates, achieve a sensational effect: a weaving and vibrating visual pattern that changes with the position of the viewer.  The Museum of Modern Art, New York, first acquired one of Alviani’s Superfici works in 1965. That same year Alviani was invited to participate in the museum’s groundbreaking exhibition: The Responsive Eye, organized by curator Wiliam C. Seitz.