In the tradition of Arte Povera, Stefano Arienti (b. 1961, Italy) works with found images and printed materials. He transforms his source material through a minimal gesture (like folding or puncturing) that he repeats systematically, almost obsessively. In doing so, he subverts the visual clichés of popular culture. Arienti has shown extensively worldwide, at institutions that include the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva; National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul; ICA, London; and the 7th Gwangju Biennale, curated by Okwui Enzwezor. Arienti has participated in the Milano Europa 2000 Triennial and the Third International Istanbul Biennial. Most recently, the artist has exhibited at the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum, Boston, and at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venice, Italy. The artist lives and works in Milan, Italy.
