Not Vital: 88 & 8 & 8
Wilde presents Not Vital’s sixth exhibition with the gallery 88 & 8 & 8 in Geneva. The solo show presents the artist’s new series of 88 drawings, 8 sculptures and 8 paintings. Vital’s new series of drawings, made in Rio, Brasil, take inspiration from his time in the city and the impressions from its culture. His new 8 paintings include self-portraits and portraits of the artist’s close circle of family and friends that influenced the artist’s journey. Lastly, the 8 new vase-shaped sculptures each make up a letter of the artist’s name.
In addition, Vital has created a new body of work featuring 8 shower heads related to a new architectural project in the Greek island of Folegandros. The house, built with 8 rooms and 8 bathrooms, is a continuation of the artist’s ‘SCARCH’ series, a term coined for his artworks that bridge sculpture and architecture.
Not Vital was born in 1948 in Sent in the Swiss Lower Engadine. From 1968 to 1969, he studied at the Centre universitaire expérimental de Vincennes in Paris before moving to New York in 1974. In the 1980s, he created his first three-dimensional works. The artist’s nomadic practice, moved him to build a house in each continent. Vital currently divides his time between Beijing, China, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Sent, Switzerland.
Working in diverse media across sculpture, installation, paintings and drawings, Vital’s works frequently blur the boundaries between reality and the surreal. His work takes inspiration from his encounters, impressions and collaborative projects amongst different cultures around the world.
Vital’s work are shown in major museums and galleries as well as in public spaces worldwide. This year, his work ‘SCARCH’ is featured at the Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore for the Venice Biennale Architettura 2021. Last year, Pascal Hofmann’s film, NOT ME – A Journey with Not Vital, tracing the artist’s career was released. Recently, he has had solo exhibitions at the Museum der Moderne Salzburg (Austria), Hauser & Wirth Somerset (UK), Wilde (Basel, Switzerland) and Yorkshire Sculpture Park (Wakefield, UK) among others. Recent group shows include ones at the Kunstmuseum St. Gallen (Switzerland), Kunstmuseum Basel (Switzerland), Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Humblbæk, Denmark), Mori Art Museum (Tokyo, Japan) and Peggy Guggenheim Colletion (Venice, Italy). In 2013, 700 Snowballs was on view at the Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore (Venice, Italy). In 2001, the artist’s work was featured in Plateau of Humanity at the 49th Venice Biennale. Further group shows include ones at the Bass Museum of Art (Miami Beach, USA), Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (Beijing, China), MoMA New York (USA), Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK), Galerie Guy Bärtschi, now Wilde (Geneva, Switzerland), Philadelphia Museum of Art (USA), Guggenheim Museum New York (USA), Kunsthalle Basel (Switzerland), Kunsthaus Zürich (Switzerland), Brooklyn Museum (USA), National Gallery of Art Washington (USA), The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA) and Kunstmuseum Lucerne (Switzerland). Vital’s works are featured in collections around the world: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum New York (USA), Kunstmuseum Bern (Switzerland), Kunstmuseum Luzern (Switzerland), Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, USA), Philadelphia Museum (USA), The Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA) and The Brooklyn Museum (New York, USA).
All images > courtesy of the artist and Wilde Gallery Geneve
Not Vital: 88 & 8 & 8
Wilde gallery Geneve
on view until 29 october 2021
