PAOLO SCHEGGI WORKS

Paolo Scheggi, born in Settignano, Florence, in 1940, was an Italian artist among the most representative of the Italian neo-avant-garde of the 1960s. His short but intense life of artistic research led him to explore multiple languages, transforming him into a true innovator of the artistic scene of the time. >After spending a period of study in London, in 1961, he moved to Milan, a city that would play a fundamental role in the development of his artistic career. Here he had the opportunity to come into contact with the most renowned artists of the era and was immediately noticed by Lucio Fontana, who from that moment followed his research with interest."
Paolo Scheggi's early works consist of assembled metal sheets and material collages, but soon his style evolves towards the famous Intersuperfici. These works, monochrome and composed of three overlapping canvases with elliptical or circular openings, become the matrix of a multifaceted artistic research that embraces various fields such as painting, architecture, fashion, design, poetry, and theater.
The artist's talent is quickly recognized internationally, and in 1964 he is invited to the exhibition "44 Protagonists of Structured Visuality" curated by Carlo Belloli at the Galleria Lorenzelli in Milan. In 1965, Gillo Dorfles includes him in the Pittura Oggetto movement, and his work becomes part of the Nove Tendencjie movement, in close contact with the Nul and Zero groups.
Paolo Scheggi's success was further consolidated in 1966 when he participated in the XXXIII Venice Biennale and was present at the exhibition "Weiss auf Weiss" at the Kunsthalle in Bern, curated by Harald Szeemann.
In 1967, he represented Italy at the V Biennale des Jeunes Artistes in Paris and took part in important international exhibitions such as "Lo spazio dell'Immagine" at Palazzo Trinci in Foligno and the Exposition International des Beaux Arts de Montreal. His artistic research opened up to architectural experimentation in 1964, when he collaborated with the Nizzoli Associati studio as a "plastic operator" and designed the new tailor shop of Germana Marucelli in Milan, creating a "livable experience of plastic integration into architecture". In January 1967, he exhibited the Intercamera plastica for the first time at the Galleria del Naviglio in Milan, marking a turning point in his career. From that moment, Paolo Scheggi's research expanded into the world of theater and extended into urban space, surpassing the traditional boundaries of the art gallery. His performances such as the Marcia Funebre and the action Oplà Stick, which took place between Milan, Zagreb, and Florence in 1969, are significant examples of this new phase of his artistic production.
In 1970 and 1971, Paolo Scheggi embarked on an artistic exploration with a mythical-political approach, delving into the relationships with the religious, anthropological, and symbolic forms of art. He participated in exhibitions such as "Amore mio" and "Vitalità del negativo" in 1970, demonstrating his constant commitment to seeking new expressive forms. His career was tragically cut short in 1971 when he died in Rome. His artistic legacy continues to influence subsequent generations, and a year after his passing, works like Tomba della Geometria and 6profetiper6geometrie were exhibited at the XXXVI Biennale di Venezia. Paolo Scheggi's figure has been recognized as an example of integration between the arts and as a precursor of Performance Art, anticipating the concepts of interaction and active audience involvement that would characterize contemporary art. His research continues to inspire today's artists, demonstrating that his brief artistic life had a lasting impact on Italian and international art."