Bernard Venet. Performances, etc. 1961-2006

Milano: Edizioni Charta, 2006. English and French Text. Milano, 2006; clothbound, pp. 242, b/w and col. ill., cm 24x28. The work of Bernar Venet is multiple. His sculptures were displayed in the most important capitals across the globe, but soon afterwards, he also included the interaction of various disciplines-performance, music, poetry, photography, video-that has been able to enrich the elaboration of the concepts that characterize his work. In 1961, just a few months after the historic act of Yves Klein, by hurling himself into the void, Bernar Venet created Performance dans les detritus. In the monograph he wrote on the artist in 2003, Thomas McEvilley pointed out the relevance and lucidity of this act. Venet, in 1968, took part in the historic adventure of the Judson Church Theater in New York, following Rauschenberg, Robert Morris, and Carolee Schneeman. His 1968 performance with scientists is praised even today by Roselee Goldberg, who describes Venet, and his performance, "as a pioneering and critical conceptual artist, while showing his contribution to performance history." In 2002, the Centre Pompidou allowed the artist to show Paris the wealth of his research in various disciplines that represent the uniqueness of his work. Roselee Goldberg has invited Bernar Venet to take part in PERFORMA05, which will be held this fall in New York.