Two-Part Exhibition of Roman Opałka's Work to Open in Venice and Milan

Opening in Venice and Milan in May of 2019, Roman Opałka. Dire il tempo / Telling the Time  is a two-part exhibition that will highlight the legacy of artist Roman Opałka (1931–2011), whose estate Lévy Gorvy represents. Curated by Chiara Bertola, this groundbreaking presentation of his art and research was conceived and produced by BUILDING in Milan, and the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice. Each of these venues will host a separate “chapter” of the exhibition, with Opałka’s series OPAŁKA 1965 / 1-∞ as their common point of focus. Opałka spent much of his life developing this series, which represented his attempt to depict the passage of time, and to delineate the infinite in visible, measurable forms. Together, the exhibitions examine the artist’s legacy through a selection of works from this and other series, with many of the works included being shown in Italy for the first time. In a remarkable highlight, the Venetian chapter will reunite Opałka’s very first Détail  painting with his last–an unfinished work that has never before been seen in public. Brought together, these paintings are a testament to Opałka’s life’s work–representing the passage of time from his first breath, to his last.

Chapter 1
Milan, BUILDING
May 4 – July 20, 2019
The first chapter, Roman Opałka, a Retrospective, will be installed across all four floors of Milan’s BUILDING. Among the works on view will be a selection of paintings from the Détail series, along with seven Cartes de Voyages and 35 self-portraits, presented together with the recorded sound of the artist’s voice. Experienced together, these works will convey an overarching vision of the project OPAŁKA 1965 / 1-∞ .

Chapter 2
Venice, Querini Stampalia Foundation
May 7 – November 24, 2019
The second chapter, Roman Opałka Mariateresa Sartori, presents the artist’s works in conversation with a selection of work by Mariateresa Sartori (b. 1961)–an artist from a different generation, who became a close friend of Opałka’s in Venice. As a highlight of this exhibition, two works fundamental to the OPAŁKA 1965 / 1-∞ series will be on view: the first Détail, on loan from the Muzeum Sztuki, Łódź in Poland and exhibited for the first time in Italy, and the last work from this series, which remains unfinished, and which has never before been exhibited, will be presented here on loan from a private collection. As curator Chiara Bertola writes:

“Seeing them together for the first time and being able to grasp the whole picture of what the artist had decided to trace one day is a strong and moving emotion. The project that is so explicitly shown also bears the tragedy of its very assumption: ‘He is no longer with us; there is the completed work.'”

Venice, Documentary Screening
May 6 & 7, 2019
For Didier Morin’s film Le dernier Détail peint de Roman Opałka, the artist was filmed and recorded over approximately forty sessions while he was working on what would be his last Détail. When the artist repeats out loud the numbers he is painting, the rhythm of everyday life in his atelier at Bois Mauclair changes, and everything turns sacred. Now for the first time, the film will be screened at Querini Stampalia Foundation.

Screening Times:
May 6,  11AM and 6PM
May 7,   10AM and 2PM

Duration: 225 minutes
Language: Polish, French, with English subtitles

Roman Opałka. Dire il tempo / Telling the Time has been selected by The New York Times as one of its top exhibitions for this year’s Venice Biennale! Read the article: The Don’t-Miss Shows and Pavilions at the Venice Biennale