Magazzino Cinema in Piazza July 20, 2018. 'Giulio Paolini,' 2005, dir. Alessandra Populin. Photo by Alexa Hoyer © 2018

By Yotam Ponte

In collaboration with the Cold Spring Film Society and Artecinema, Magazzino Italian Art in Cold Spring, New York is currently holding “Cinema in Piazza”—a film festival in the form of a series of twelve screenings over six weekend nights in July. The Magazzino Italian Art typically exhibits art in the style of the Italian contemporary movement of “Arte Povera.” This Avant-garde style of art, popular in Italy during the 1960s and 1970s, was involved with physicality and utilized household objects from everyday life.

Still from the movie 'Piero Manzoni, Artista (Piero Manzoni, Artist),' Director Andrea Bettinetti, 2013. Film still courtesy of Artecinema

Each screening night during the festival, two films ranging from 13 to 72 minutes long are paired up—one film regarding an Italian avant-garde artist and one regarding an artist from another European country or an American avant-garde artist. The films will cover post-war artists Piero Manzoni, Jannis Kounellis, Pino Pascali, Giulio Paolini, Giuseppe Penone, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Joseph Beuys, Louis Bourgeois, Sol LeWitt, Bruce Nauman, Richard Serra, and the Land Artists.

Magazzino Italian Art Director Vittorio Calabrese. Photo by Alexa Hoyer © 2018

The movies are paired together based on a loose thematic common similarity or difference. With the focus of the films being primarily on Italian artists, the screenings are “intended to highlight the work of Italian artists through an international perspective,” regarding the way artists addressed the issues of the artistic avant-garde post-war.

Still from 'Prospettiva Vegetale — Giuseppe Penone (Plant Perspective — Giuseppe Penone),' Director Francesco Fei, 2014. Film still courtesy of Artecinema

On Saturday, July 21, the two featured artists were Giuseppe Penone and Sol Lewitt. As explained by a historian introducing the movies, both artists were very mindful of space in their work, both emphasizing the influence of it on their art. While the movie on Penone primarily highlighted his work, the film on LeWitt gave details on the life of the artist and provided context for his work. The two films were bridged together by a common theme with the analyses and explanations of the historian. This fascinating perspective on the art sheds light unto the ideas that inspire a movement.