Agostino Bonalumi (Vimercate, Milan, 1935 – Monza, 2013) was a leading figure of the post-war avant-garde and one of the central protagonists associated with the ZERO movement. After studying technical design and mechanics, he began painting as a self-taught artist. In 1958, together with Enrico Castellani and Piero Manzoni, he presented a landmark exhibition at Galleria Pater in Milan, followed by shows in Rome, Milan and Lausanne that quickly positioned him among the most innovative artists of his generation.
In 1966 Bonalumi began his long and significant collaboration with Galleria del Naviglio in Milan, becoming his exclusive representative. That same year he was invited to the Venice Biennale with a group presentation, returning in 1970 with a dedicated solo room. He later spent long periods working in Mediterranean Africa and the United States, where he had his first solo exhibition at the Bonino Gallery in New York. His international visibility grew rapidly, leading to invitations to the São Paulo Biennale (1967) and the Paris Youth Biennale (1968).
Bonalumi is best known for his extralessioni—vinyl-coated, monochromatic shaped canvases that redefine the traditional picture plane through subtle relief and sculptural tension. Alongside these iconic works, he also created important environmental installations, including Blu abitabile for the exhibition Lo spazio dell’immagine in Foligno (1967) and Grande Nero (1968) for his solo show at the Museum Ostwall in Dortmund. In 1979 he realised Dal giallo al bianco e dal bianco al giallo for Pittura Ambiente at Palazzo Reale in Milan, and in 2002 he created Spazio trattenuto e spazio invasofor the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. He also executed a series of bronze sculptures based on late-1960s drawings.
During the 1970s, Bonalumi extended his practice into stage design, creating sets and costumes for ballet productions. Despite a long-term illness, he remained intensely active throughout his life, continuing to develop his research with unwavering dedication.
His works form part of numerous major public collections worldwide, and cities such as Brussels, Moscow, New York and Singapore have hosted important solo exhibitions during the later years of his career. In the summer of 2013 he collaborated on a major exhibition in London, whose opening he did not live to see. Bonalumi passed away in Monza on 18 September 2013.
For information on available works by the artist, please contact the gallery.