MAMbo, Bologna
February 5 - May 3, 2026
February 5 - May 3, 2026
Museo d'Arte Moderna di Bologna is presenting John Giorno: The Performative Word, curated by Lorenzo Balbi. This is the first major retrospective celebrating one of the most radical and visionary figures in contemporary culture.
John Giorno was a key figure in the avant-garde New York scene. A poet, artist, and activist, he tore down the boundaries between disciplines, turning poetry into a living body capable of inhabiting unexpected places. His friendships and collaborations with major figures of that era, including Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, William Burroughs, John Cage, and Patti Smith, as well as his establishment of Giorno Poetry Systems in 1965—a nonprofit organization that revolutionized the dissemination of poetry by blending it with music, visual arts, political engagement, and community practices —are all a testament to Giorno's essential impact on art history.
John Giorno was a key figure in the avant-garde New York scene. A poet, artist, and activist, he tore down the boundaries between disciplines, turning poetry into a living body capable of inhabiting unexpected places. His friendships and collaborations with major figures of that era, including Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, William Burroughs, John Cage, and Patti Smith, as well as his establishment of Giorno Poetry Systems in 1965—a nonprofit organization that revolutionized the dissemination of poetry by blending it with music, visual arts, political engagement, and community practices —are all a testament to Giorno's essential impact on art history.
The exhibition showcases Giorno’s multifaceted artistic practice by presenting several bodies of work, demonstrating how the artist expanded poetic language through its visual, relational, and performative qualities.
The exhibition includes a section dedicated to archival materials, curated by Nicola Ricciardi in collaboration with Eleonora Molignani, with an installation designed by Studio EX (Andrea Massi and Michele Versaci).
A major monograph, published by Mousse Publishing, accompanies the exhibition and is available here.
John Giorno: The Performative Word is curated by MAMbo Director Lorenzo Balbi, with an archival section curated by Nicola Ricciardi in collaboration with Eleonora Molignani, with an installation designed by Studio EX (Andrea Massi and Michele Versaci). The exhibition is supported by BolognaFiere to coincide with Arte Fiera and by Galleria Thomas Brambilla.
Click here for more information.
The exhibition includes a section dedicated to archival materials, curated by Nicola Ricciardi in collaboration with Eleonora Molignani, with an installation designed by Studio EX (Andrea Massi and Michele Versaci).
A major monograph, published by Mousse Publishing, accompanies the exhibition and is available here.
John Giorno: The Performative Word is curated by MAMbo Director Lorenzo Balbi, with an archival section curated by Nicola Ricciardi in collaboration with Eleonora Molignani, with an installation designed by Studio EX (Andrea Massi and Michele Versaci). The exhibition is supported by BolognaFiere to coincide with Arte Fiera and by Galleria Thomas Brambilla.
Click here for more information.
