Biography: 1960

1960

The second (and last) issue of "Azimuth" was published in January, on the occasion of a fundamental show inaugurated at the Azimut Gallery: showing along with Manzoni were Kilian Breier, Enrico Castellani, Oskar Holweck, Yves Klein, Heinz Mack, Almir Mavignier.
The review constituted the catalogue of the exhibition and contained the essay "Libera dimensione" ("Free dimension"), one of the artist's most lucid writings. "Libera dimensione" was shortly thereafter translated to English and reprinted in the exhibition catalogue for "Monochrome Malerai", the historic show dedicated to the genesis and development of the monochromatic, put on by Udo Kultermann in March.
One of Manzoni's Lines was shown in the group exhibition "Miriorama 1" (Galleria Pater, Milan, 15-17 January).
Piero Manzoni took part to international shows, such as "Castellani Manzoni. A New Artistic Conception" at the New Vision Centre Gallery (London, 1-19 March); "Monochrome Malerai" (Leverkusen, Städtisches Museum, 18 March - 8 May); "Contemporary Italian Art" (Illinois Institute of Design, Chicago, 3-9 May).

Manzoni used new materials and techniques, distancing himself from the "picture" as a bidimensional object.
The Corpi d'aria (Air bodies) were shown first at Azimut Gallery ("Corpi d'aria di Piero Manzoni", 3-9 May), and then at the Danish gallery of Addi Køpke, along with Achromes, Lines and Sculpture Eggs.
On July 4, at Herning (Denmark), in the presence of numerous witnesses, Manzoni produced his longest Line: Linea m. 7,200 (sealed into a cylindrical zinc container and interred in the Herning Kunstmuseum's gardens); soon followed by the Line of infinite length.
At 7 p.m., on July 21, took place in Milan one of the more famous Manzoni's manifestations: the Consumption of dynamic art by the art- devouring public (Consumazione dell'arte dinamica del pubblico divorare l'arte). Manzoni marked with his fingerprint some boiled eggs and gave them to the audience to eat.
The "Consumption of art", although advertised as happening in the Galleria Azimut (the last exhibition to be held at that site), in fact took place in a film studio (Filmgiornale SEDI) and was documented in a short film.