Sarenco (Vobarno, 1945 – Salò, 2017).
Isaia Mabellini was a visual poet, performer, explorer, director, editor, photographer, organizer: among the most active, unpredictable, and explosive figures of contemporary artistic research in Italy and beyond. Beginning in 1963, he began to engage in poetic-visual research, making his first contacts with the artists of Gruppo 70. Using the techniques of collage, assemblage, or emulsified canvas, he obtains works of strong impact, which he uses as an instrument of political and cultural struggle. He carries out intense editorial and organizational activities. He founds magazines, including “Amodulo” in 1968 and “Lotta Poetica” in 1971, and publishing houses such as Edizioni Amodulo in 1969, SAR.MIC in 1972 and Factotum Art in 1977. He founded groups such as the International Visual Poetry Group. Since 1982 Sarenco undertakes numerous trips to Africa. From this time, the African continent became a protagonist within his artistic production. He opened an art gallery in Malindi, where he also published poetic and poetic-visual collections such as “Malindi dias,” “Malindi and M.A.L.I.N.D.I.” and organized major exhibitions, such as the First Malindi Biennial of Contemporary Art. He wrote his first film subject in 1968, which he went on to shoot in 1984 under the title Collage. The following year he was invited to present the film at the Venice Film Festival. Many other feature films would follow. He is regularly featured in international art festivals including four editions of the Venice Biennale (1972, 1986, 2001, 2011), Documenta in Kassel ( 1972), Seville Biennale ( 2004, together with Cattelan).
See Sarenco’s selected exhibitions.
