Osart Gallery, in collaboration with the Panza Collection, is pleased to present CrossWords, a new group show featuring works by Robert Barry, Max Cole, Stephen Dean, Allan Graham, Ron Griffin, Douglas Huebler, Jonathan Seliger, and Ian Wilson. The exhibition gravitates around a selection of works created between 1969 and the early 2000's, crossing two generations of artists yet still resonating nowadays. The artworks are all interconnected by a similar conceptual framework, based on the investigation of language.

 

In the collective imaginary, crosswords are – hence the show title – considered to be an archaic pursuit, though we are witnessing a global resurge of its popularity among the newer generations, which demonstrates its nature as an intersectional and transcultural game. Likewise, Rosa and Giuseppe Panza di Biumo's collecting talent is visible from their ability to see beyond a work cryptic appearance, being forerunners of the contemporary trends as well as supporters of those artists that are still capable to ride and predict the zeitgeist.

 

In order to do so, it was paramount for the couple to cultivate a personal relationship with the artists they collected. Just like a puzzle or a riddle, the process of acquisition couldn't be realized unless they got to know and talked to the creators of their art. This explains the deep affection that bounded Giuseppe Panza di Biumo to artists like Ian Wilson, with whom he sat on many occasions for his discussions, which were later purchased through a certificate that stood as sole “physical proof” thereof.

 

It's right from concepts like investigation, pursuit, and memory, that viewers are asked to awaken an active part of their mind: the works never take over, but rather scatter clues and definitions, that offer an enigmatic variation - some works, like Stephen Dean's, are made out of pages of puzzles or newsprints - and suggest an alternative solution.

 

The selection of works on display offers an insight on the couple's most profound and attentive research, which led over time to their ultimate purpose to bring together a collection that gravitates around elevated matters, as quoted by Giuseppe Panza: “I like artists who express instincts which come from the higher parts of their body”. The exhibition is accompanied by a critical essay by Nicola Ricciardi.

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Artists on display: Robert Barry (USA, 1938) | Max Cole (USA, 1937) | Stephen Dean (France, 1968) | Allan Graham (USA, 1943 - 2019) | Ron Griffin (USA, 1954) | Douglas Huebler (USA, 1924 – 1997) | Jonathan Seliger (USA, 1955) | Ian Wilson (South Africa, 1940 – 2020)