Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

October 9 to November 28, 2009

An impetus for realizing this important work in Zurich was the ideal architectural disposition of the gallery, with its four symmetrical rooms. In addition, the work is a cache of many themes and formulations that have occupied the artist since the 1960s. It becomes evident where they have their origin, where they are conjoined, entwined, accumulated. A significant particularity of "Aula di disegno" that can explain the curious "Happy Days" set in parentheses was certainly an additional and pivotal factor for Giulio Paolini in choosing to mount precisely this installation in our gallery spaces at this point in time. A mysterious detail of a "disegno" is placed in the focus of the installation. It is a cutout from a small drawing by Sol LeWitt on the back of a postcard greeting to Giulio "Happy Days in '06, Sol". A touching personal grounding, which loses its anecdotal connotation in the context of the work and becomes meaningful on many levels. With the "Paragraphs on Conceptual Art" in 1967, Sol LeWitt clearly and concisely outlined new foundations of artistic works. The consequences and effects of these groundbreaking strategies remain virulent today, though unfortunately often in banalized form. While Sol LeWitt broke with tradition and wanted to open up a free range for the unfolding of unforeseeable new forms and pathways, Giulio Paolini also initiated a subtle and precise mode of conceptual thinking and working. To the present day, his entire oeuvre traces back to "Disegno Geometrico" from 1960. His approach manifestly takes up the great tradition of the "disegno", which had its origin and reached its utmost development in the Latin cultural area.

It is worth noting that Paolini had his inaugural solo exhibition at Galerie Verna in 1973 followed by the gallery’s first one-man show of LeWitt in 1975. A triangular constellation marked by friendship and mutual esteem.

Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) describes "disegno" as the "active creative principle in the visual arts". And "disegno" designates a key function in the interplay of the arts. The primacy of drawing – "primato del disegno" – shaped Italian art theory since the Renaissance. Now Paolini is in no way interested in simply linking to these theories and treatises. His achievement consists in transforming the traditions and using them as aggregates for a contemporary pictorial language capable of calculating its relevance in carefully reflected measures of value. In Italian, "disegno" has a variety of meanings: the art of drawing, the work of drawing itself, design, plan and idea. Through the "disegno", the conceived attains its vividness.

Yet the auditorium into which the gallery has been transformed does not have an educational function. For only art teaches art. In its centre, works by Paolini have therefore been spread out, from 1969 to 2009. The notion that art always refers to art, as well as the following thesis, can be taken today as a provocation worthy of consideration. The artist is necessarily an artistic figure and his name solely a reverberation in the echo chamber of the art system. He only attains identity through what he manages to bring in with his inventions.

Installation views

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 4

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 1

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 1

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 1

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 1

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 2-1

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 2

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 3-2-1

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 3

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
room 4

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
office

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)

Installation view
office

Works

Giulio Paolini / Studio per "Aula di disegno"  2005  30 x 42 cm Ink and collage on graph paper

Studio per "Aula di disegno"
2005
30 x 42 cm
Ink and collage on graph paper

Giulio Paolini / Studio per "Aula di disegno"  2005  30 x 42 cm Ink and collage on graph paper

Studio per "Aula di disegno"
2005
30 x 42 cm
Ink and collage on graph paper

Giulio Paolini / Studio per "Aula di disegno"  2005  30 x 42 cm Ink and collage on graph paper

Studio per "Aula di disegno"
2005
30 x 42 cm
Ink and collage on graph paper

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo (dalle Œuvres Complètes)  1994  70 x 100 cm Color pencil and collage on paper

Senza titolo
(dalle Œuvres Complètes)

1994
70 x 100 cm
Color pencil and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo (dalle Œuvres Complètes)  1994  70 x 100 cm Color pencil and collage on paper

Senza titolo
(dalle Œuvres Complètes)

1994
70 x 100 cm
Color pencil and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / Il Disegno in persona  1998  125 x 125 cm Pencil on paper, framed in a black passepartout, framed in a photographic passepartout, collage on the wall

Il Disegno in persona
1998
125 x 125 cm
Pencil on paper, framed in a black passepartout, framed in a photographic passepartout, collage on the wall

Giulio Paolini / Prologo  1993  50 x 70 cm Pencil, colored pencil, and collage on paper

Prologo
1993
50 x 70 cm
Pencil, colored pencil, and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / L’ombra del vuoto  2009  80 x 80 cm Collage on paper

L’ombra del vuoto
2009
80 x 80 cm
Collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / L’ombra del vuoto  2009  80 x 80 cm Collage on paper

L’ombra del vuoto
2009
80 x 80 cm
Collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / Il rosso e il nero  2006  50 x 70 cm Color pencil, pencil, and collage on paper

Il rosso e il nero
2006
50 x 70 cm
Color pencil, pencil, and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / Da "Lezione di pittura"  2009  40 x 30 cm Gold-plated frame, pencil and collage on paper and on the wall

Da "Lezione di pittura"
2009
40 x 30 cm
Gold-plated frame, pencil and collage on paper and on the wall

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo  2008 -2009  50 x 50 cm Pencil and collage on paper and acrylic glass

Senza titolo
2008 -2009
50 x 50 cm
Pencil and collage on paper and acrylic glass

Giulio Paolini / Passe-partout  2005  60 x 80 cm Color pencil and pencil on photographic reproduction

Passe-partout
2005
60 x 80 cm
Color pencil and pencil on photographic reproduction

Giulio Paolini / Quadri di un’esposizione  2002  60 x 80 cm Pencil and collage on paper

Quadri di un’esposizione
2002
60 x 80 cm
Pencil and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)  1988  Photo prints, 12 parts, each: 32 x 23 cm

Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)
1988
Photo prints, 12 parts,
each: 32 x 23 cm

Giulio Paolini / Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)  1988  Photo prints, 12 parts,  each: 32 x 23 cm detail

Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)
1988
Photo prints, 12 parts,
each: 32 x 23 cm
detail

Giulio Paolini / Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)  1988  Photo prints, 12 parts,  each: 32 x 23 cm detail

Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)
1988
Photo prints, 12 parts,
each: 32 x 23 cm
detail

Giulio Paolini / Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)  1988  Photo prints, 12 parts,  each: 32 x 23 cm detail

Ennesima (Appunti per la descrizione di dodici disegni datati 1975-88)
1988
Photo prints, 12 parts,
each: 32 x 23 cm
detail

Giulio Paolini / Da "Vedo (La decifrazione del mio campo visivo)"  1969  75 x 75 cm Photograph and pencil on paper

Da "Vedo (La decifrazione del mio campo visivo)"
1969
75 x 75 cm
Photograph and pencil on paper

Giulio Paolini / Studio per "Dopo tutto"  2009  50 x 70 cm Photograph, color pencil and collage on paper

Studio per "Dopo tutto"
2009
50 x 70 cm
Photograph, color pencil and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / Studio per "Immacolata Concezione"  2008  70 x 50 cm Pencil and collage on paper

Studio per
"Immacolata Concezione"

2008
70 x 50 cm
Pencil and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / L’asse di squilibrio  1994 -2009  70 x 100 cm Color pencil, pencil and collage on paper and acrylic glass

L’asse di squilibrio
1994 -2009
70 x 100 cm
Color pencil, pencil and collage on paper and acrylic glass

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo (Studio per Autoritratto)  2008 -2009  64 x 48 cm Color pencil, pencil, and collage on paper

Senza titolo
(Studio per Autoritratto)

2008 -2009
64 x 48 cm
Color pencil, pencil, and collage on paper

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo (della serie dei "Disegni")  1964  Dimensions variable Paper on a acrylic glass cube Senza titolo (della serie dei "Disegni")  1964  Dimensions variable Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Senza titolo
(della serie dei "Disegni")

1964
Dimensions variable
Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Senza titolo
(della serie dei "Disegni")

1964
Dimensions variable
Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo (della serie dei "Disegni")  1964  Dimensions variable Paper on a acrylic glass cube Senza titolo (della serie dei "Disegni")  1964  Dimensions variable Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Senza titolo
(della serie dei "Disegni")

1964
Dimensions variable
Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Senza titolo
(della serie dei "Disegni")

1964
Dimensions variable
Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo (della serie dei "Disegni")  1964  Dimensions variable Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Senza titolo
(della serie dei "Disegni")

1964
Dimensions variable
Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo (della serie dei "Disegni")  1964  Dimensions variable Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Senza titolo
(della serie dei "Disegni")

1964
Dimensions variable
Paper on a acrylic glass cube

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo  1998 - 2009  70 x 100 cm Pencil and collage on paper and on the wall

Senza titolo
1998 - 2009
70 x 100 cm
Pencil and collage on paper and on the wall

Giulio Paolini / Niente e subito  2006  120 x 40 x 40 cm Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil Ed. 4 of 6

Niente e subito
2006
120 x 40 x 40 cm
Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil
Ed. 4 of 6

Giulio Paolini / Niente e subito  2006  120 x 40 x 40 cm Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil Ed. 4 of 6

Niente e subito
2006
120 x 40 x 40 cm
Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil
Ed. 4 of 6

Giulio Paolini / Niente e subito  2006  120 x 40 x 40 cm Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil Ed. 4 of 6

Niente e subito
2006
120 x 40 x 40 cm
Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil
Ed. 4 of 6

Giulio Paolini / Niente e subito  2006  120 x 40 x 40 cm Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil Ed. 4 of 6

Niente e subito
2006
120 x 40 x 40 cm
Plexiglas base, drawing paper, black pencil
Ed. 4 of 6

Giulio Paolini / Senza titolo  1998 - 2009  70 x 100 cm Collage on paper and acrylic glass

Senza titolo
1998 - 2009
70 x 100 cm
Collage on paper and
acrylic glass

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)  2006  Dimensions variable Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall

Aula di disegno
(Happy Days)

2006
Dimensions variable
Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)  2006 Dimensions variable Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall

Aula di disegno
(Happy Days)

2006
Dimensions variable
Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)  2006 Dimensions variable Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall

Aula di disegno
(Happy Days)

2006
Dimensions variable
Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall

Giulio Paolini / Aula di disegno (Happy Days)  2006 Dimensions variable Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall

Aula di disegno
(Happy Days)

2006
Dimensions variable
Photograph, digital print, acrylic glass plate, black pencil, pencil and collage on the wall