Elisabetta Benassi, born in Rome in 1966, quickly rose to prominence as a leading figure in the innovative realm of Italian “video art.” Benassi’s artistic creations navigate the complex landscape of our contemporary world. Employing installation, video, and photography as her tools, she skillfully evokes strong emotional responses in viewers. Her works are characterized by intense emotional impact, driven by narrative rhythm and the symbolic potency of the images she portrays…
Elisabetta Benassi, born in Rome in 1966, quickly rose to prominence as a leading figure in the innovative realm of Italian "video art." Benassi's artistic creations navigate the complex landscape of our contemporary world. Employing installation, video, and photography as her tools, she skillfully evokes strong emotional responses in viewers. Her works are characterized by intense emotional impact, driven by narrative rhythm and the symbolic potency of the images she portrays. Through her art, she weaves poignant "mini-stories" that fuse profound symbolism with visceral emotions, bridging the realms of current events and memory, technology and fantasy. She accomplishes this by employing installation techniques and projecting her creations onto large screens.
In her 1999 performance piece titled "Esercitazione di volo," Benassi interacts with a simulated airplane, engaging in a mesmerizing "flying" dance. In "You will never walk alone," she transforms herself into a soccer player named Bettagol, who encounters the writer Pier Paolo Pasolini on the field, resulting in a fantastical dream narrative. Another notable work is her portrayal of the midday shot of the Gianicolo cannon, capturing the suspenseful anticipation that culminates in a resounding silence, reminiscent of Pino Pascali's "Armi," where the young and audacious artist crushed his bicycle. Lastly, in the 2003 exhibition "I Moderni" in Rivoli, Benassi assumes the role of an astronaut descending from an imaginary space capsule onto the Lingotto, the legendary Fiat factory, and delves into the dark recesses of its "industrial archeology" structures.
Benassi's captivating works have been exhibited at numerous prestigious venues worldwide. These include the 2016-2017 exhibition "Letargo" at Magazzino in Rome, Italy; "Mareo Merz" at Palazzo Carignano in Turin, Italy in 2015; "That's Me in the Picture" at Gallery Jousse Entreprise in Paris, France in 2015; "Corsaro," an artist performance within the exhibition "Non Basta Ricordare" curated by Hou Hanru at MAXXI Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo in Rome, Italy in 2014; and the 55th International Art Exhibition at the Biennale di Venezia in 2013, where her work was showcased at the Italian Pavilion, Vice/Versa. Other notable exhibitions include "A proposito di Marisa Merz" at MAXXI Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo in Rome in 2011; the 54th International Art Exhibition, "ILLUMInazioni/ILLUMInations," held at the Arsenale in Venice, Italy in the same year; "Tutto è connesso 2" at Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea in Rivoli, Italy in 2011; "The Road to Contemporary Art" at Macro Testaccio in Rome, Italy in 2010; and "All I Remember" at Magazzino in Rome in 2010. She also participated in the "Art Basel" exhibition in Miami Beach, Florida in 2009, and the 15th Quadriennale at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome in 2008. Her works have been showcased in various other esteemed exhibitions such as "Annisettanta: il decennio lungo del secolo breve" at the Triennale di Milano in Milan, Italy in 2007, "Luce di pietra" at Palazzo Farnese in Rome in 2008, "Prospectif Cinéma" at Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre George Pompidou in Paris, France in 2005, and at MACRO Museo d'Arte Contemporanea in Rome in 2004. She also participated in the II Berlin Biennale in Berlin, Germany in 2001 and "P.S.1 New York" as part of the Special Projects in New York, USA in 2000. Benassi's works have also been featured in the renowned anthology "Cream 3," published by Phaidon.
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