Emilio Vedova: “This is Painting” at Forte di Bard
Until June 2, 2025, the Forte di Bard in the Aosta Valley, Italy is hosting a major retrospective dedicated to Emilio Vedova(Venice, 1919–2006), a leading figure in postwar European art. Titled “This Is Painting” and curated by Gabriella Belli, the exhibition features a broad selection of paintings and works on paper that illuminate the pure essence of his artistic practice.
This initiative, promoted by the Forte di Bard Association in collaboration with 24 Ore Cultura and the Emilio and Annabianca Vedova Foundation, presents to the public 31 large-scale paintings and 22 works on paper, sourced from both the Foundation and prestigious museum institutions and private collections, including the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the Mart in Trento and Rovereto, and the Civic Museums of Florence.
LEFT: Emilio Vedova working on Non Dove 1988 – III, 1988, Photo by Aurelio Amendola, Pistoia Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venice; RIGHT: Emilio Vedova, (Plurimo – A), 1962, Vinyl acrylic paints, pastel on multi-sided wooden panels with iron hinges. 157 x 110 x 219 cm, Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venice
A Free and Dissident Artist
Emilio Vedova (Venice, 1919–2006) was a complex figure: actively engaged in civic matters, unwavering in his critical spirit and convictions, and deeply reflective on the tragedies of history and the tensions of his time through an art unconstrained by convention. Yet, this exhibition aims to highlight Vedova’s pictorial greatness, his remarkable ability to transform energy, passion, and thought into form and substance, achieving results of extraordinary expressive power.
LEFT: Emilio Vedova, (Untitled), 1980s, Pastel and charcoal on paper. 34.1 x 47.9 cm. Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venice, Unpublished drawing; RIGHT: Emilio Vedova, (Untitled), 1980, Pastel and charcoal on paper. 34.4 x 48.9 cm, Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venice, Unpublished drawing
Emilio Vedova was one of the most influential figures in postwar European art. Born into a family of artisans, he taught himself to paint from a young age, developing a nonconformist and rebellious spirit that led him to join the Corrente movement and later take an active part in the Resistance. His painting, marked by a strong civic commitment, stands out for its energetic gestures and bold use of color, placing him among the foremost exponents of Informal art. Vedova drew inspiration both from the humanist spirit and Venetian pictorial tradition (particularly Tintoretto, Veronese, and Tiepolo), as well as from the historical and political context in which he lived, channeling existential tension and civic passion into his canvases—defining features of his entire artistic production.
LEFT: Emilio Vedova, Interpretation from “The Transport of St. Mark” by Tintoretto, 1936. Pastel and charcoal on cardboard, 99.8 x 69.5 cm. Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venice; RIGHT: Emilio Vedova, Rosso ’83 – V’, 1982, Acrylic paint, pastel, sand, and cement on canvas, 300 x 190 cm, Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venice
The Exhibition
The exhibition route focuses on the force of gesture and mark-making that defines Vedova’s painting: a language capable of erupting into intense, tactile color combinations that convey the artist’s inexhaustible creative energy. Indeed, Vedova was an exponent of a disruptive brand of Informal art, where color, motion, and light become the principal means of capturing his inner tension and expressive urgency, ever engaged with the historical and social reality of his time. Still, the curatorial approach chosen for this show favors a distinctly pictorial perspective, without dwelling exclusively on the socio-political dimensions and historical readings—although these are essential for understanding the complexity of Vedova’s personality.
LEFT: Exhibition Views: “Emilio Vedova. This Is Painting” at Forte di Bard, Aosta Valley; RIGHT: Exhibition Views: “Emilio Vedova. This Is Painting” at Forte di Bard, Aosta Valley.
Works on Display
Arranged across several distinct sections, the exhibition traces the painter’s dynamic formal progression—beginning with works that reveal echoes of Cubist geometry and leading to the bold innovation of his Plurimi. These groundbreaking pieces move beyond the boundaries of a flat surface, transforming painting into a three-dimensional construct that engages the surrounding space. In this way, Vedova melds painterly expression with sculptural presence, underlining his relentless pursuit of new possibilities for the medium and reinforcing his status as a pivotal figure in the evolution of postwar European art.
LEFT: Exhibition Views: “Emilio Vedova. This Is Painting” at Forte di Bard, Aosta Valley; RIGHT: Exhibition Views: “Emilio Vedova. This Is Painting” at Forte di Bard, Aosta Valley.
Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the vibrancy of Vedova’s brushstrokes and his ceaseless “creative fury,” a hallmark that positioned him at the forefront of twentieth-century art. The exhibition thus offers a unique opportunity to rediscover a master who continually pushed beyond the traditional boundaries of painting, forging an immediate and powerful connection with the viewer.
LOT-ART SERVICES FOR COLLECTORS
NEW! Best Deals: Bid on highly liquid lots with an estimate below the historical sale price. Make smart investment decisions powered by Market Analytics. Discover Best Deals >>
Market Analytics: Lot-Art big data analytics assess the liquidity, actual value, investment risk and profitability of fine art (contemporary art, modern art, old masters) and luxury collectibles (timepieces), enabling informed investment decisions within a strategy of portfolio diversification. Discover Market Analytics >>
Lot-Art Memberships: Receive Personalized Alerts on your favorite artists and collectibles at auction worldwide to never miss a bid! Subscribe now >>
Lot-Art.com is the world's largest search engine & aggregator of art and collectibles, linking to 3800+ auction houses! Find best deals from your favorite artists and brands among 1 million lots for sale every day in our upcoming section >>
LOT-ART | The Art Investment Platform
Lot-Art.com is the largest search engine & aggregator for auctions of art and collectibles linking to 3800+ auction houses! Find best deals from your favorite artists and brands among 1 million lots for sale every day in our upcoming section.
LOT-ART | The Art Investment Platform
contact@lot-art.com
|
|
|
|
|---|
Don't want these emails anymore? |
|
|
|---|
|
