Mario Merz

THE EXHIBITION

NEON, in collaboration with Fondazione Merz, presents the exhibition of Mario Merz, one of the most significant artists of the Arte Povera movement. 

It is the first exhibition of the Italian artist that will be presented within the context of a museum in Greece. Curated by Paolo Colombo, the exhibition-survey aspires to shed light at the multifaceted practice of Mario Merz







.The title of the exhibition, “Numbers are prehistoric”, derives from Mario Merz’s book “I Want to Make a Book Right Now” (1989) and expresses the need that urged him to become involved and dedicated in art, politics, life. With this phrase, the artist means that numbers existed before history and evolve to infinity in parallel with the development of the earth and the universe. 







Presenting material that has not been exhibited before, the exhibition balances between visual art and written expression, following Merz’s particular way, who deals with the main themes in art using lines, numbers and words. 







The exhibition is implemented at a crucial moment in Greece, when notions of necessity and primary needs are being re-evaluated, giving the opportunity to re-examine ones’ ideas through varied examples of Merz’s oeuvre. 







In the context of the exhibition, a parallel program will be organized in collaboration with the organization THALES + FRIENDS, with significant emphasis on the educational program and in collaboration with the writer Apostolos Doxiades. 







This specific production will mark the commencement of a series of exhibitions within NEON’s Program, aimed at presenting, on a biennial basis, collaborative dialogue between a visual artist and a scientist,both of international acclaim. This series will focus on the understanding and use of science in an unforeseen way within the framework of its implementation.