Luigi Ontani
(Vergato, 1953)
Luigi Ontani was born in a small fraction of Vergato (BO), in 1943. He started his artistic path as self-taught and by taking part at some courses at Bologna’s Fine Arts Academy. Starting from the end of the 60s, he works with photography, focusing on his own body to investigate the ambiguity and complexity of human nature, and he starts realizing the firsts tableaux vivants, scenes where disguised actors pose still and silent, as in a painting. In these works, Ontani is the main character and he is, in the meantime, the author of the artwork and an actor in it, making himself an “art object”. He moved to Rome in 1970 where he realizes his d’apres, reinterpretations of masterpieces by Guercino, Caravaggio e Guido Reni. He is asked to expose for the first time in New York in 1977, at Sonnabend Gallery. Experimenter and nonconformist, Ontani blends irony and narcissism in a crossover between the sacred and the profane, myth and fable, oriental and western culture. In addition to experimenting with photographic techniques, he devoted himself to the elaboration of performances and large-scale self-portraits inspired by historical or literary figures. Since the 1980s his work has been characterized by a dreamlike-surreal inspiration and by an interest in manual craftsmanship. Ontani's practice is meant as a trans-historic journey through myths, symbols and iconographies.
Among his solo and group exhibition, we can mention: Luigi Ontani, Galleria San Petronio (Bologna, 1967); Venice Biennale (Venice, 1972-1978-1984-1986-1995-2003); En route very l’Inde, Galleria L’Attico (Rome, 1978); Italian Art Now: An American Perspective, Guggenheim Museum (New York, 1982); Ontani’s Mask, 121 art gallery (Antwerp, 1983); Ermestetiche, Sperone-Westwater (New York, 1997); GaneshamUSA 1965-2001, Ps1/MoMA contemporary art center (New York, 2001); AlnusThaiAurea, Bangkok National Gallery (Bangkok, 2002); Rivoltartealtrove, Castello di Rivoli (Torino, 2011); When in Rome, Hammer Museum (Los Angeles, 2011); Luigi Ontani, Kunsthalle Berne (Bern, 2012); Albericus Belgioiosiae Auroborus, Galleria Massimo de Carlo (Milan, 2019).
