Jannis Kounellis

Jannis Kounellis was a Greek-Italian artist born on March 23, 1936, in Piraeus, Greece, and passed away on February 16, 2017, in Rome, Italy. He moved to Rome in 1956 to study at the Accademia di Belle Arti. Kounellis began his artistic career with his first solo exhibition, "L'alfabeto di Kounellis," at Galleria La Tartaruga in 1960. In 1967, he became a leading figure in the Arte Povera movement, a term coined by art critic Germano Celant. This movement sought to break away from traditional art materials by utilizing everyday, "poor" materials. Kounellis's works often incorporated elements such as live animals, coal, steel, stone, and coffee. Notably, his 1969 installation at Galleria L'Attico in Rome featured 12 live horses within the gallery space, garnering significant attention. Throughout his career, Kounellis participated in numerous significant exhibitions across Europe