Kunsthal Rotterdam

For the first time in over twenty years, the artist's multifaceted oeuvre comprising sculptures, paintings and drawings will be on display in the Netherlands. Alongside his famous works of fragile human figures, the exhibition will also feature works never before exhibited in the Netherlands, including sculptures, paintings and sketches.

The exhibition that is organised exclusively for the Kunsthal and in close collaboration with the Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti, shows the development of Giacometti's oeuvre and follows on from a successful series in which the Kunsthal has presented the work of leading 20th century sculptors, including Jean Tinguely (2007), Henry Moore (2006) and Isamu Noguchi (2003).

Multifaceted oeuvre

In 1922, Alberto Giacometti moved to Paris, where he studied under Antoine Bourdelle at the Académie de la Grande-Chaumière. Influenced by sculptors such as Jacques Lipchitz and Ossip Zadkine, the maker of Verwoeste Stad (a sculpture about the city of Rotterdam, bombed during the second World War), Giacometti becomes acquainted with Cubism and begins to experiment with composition.
The moment he breaks away from these artists and initial role models, he discovers African art, a significant source of inspiration to many artists of his time.
The mix of influences, taken from his classical education, Cubism and primitive art led to his first large-scale female figures, including ‘Femme cuillère'.

Until 1935 Giacometti makes surrealist works and is considered to be one of the most influential artists of this movement. After this period Giacometti starts working in a more and more concentrated way on the theme that would predominantly occupy his mind for the rest of his life: the representation of the human body.

Publication

d'jonge Hond publishers will publish the Dutch catalogue 'Alberto Giacometti', (hardcover ISBN 978-90-89100-92-4 € 34,95 en softcover ISBN 978-90-89100-71-9 € 24,95)

Collaboration

Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti, Paris
Holland Art Cities (the exhibition is part of Holland Art Cities)