Giorgio Ciam ( b. 1941, Pont-Saint-Martin, Italy – d. 1996, Turin, Italy) studied at Turin’s Academy of Fine Arts before setting off on a career as a sculptor, with a performative approach that he would never abandon, and which first emerged through his Sculture Ambiente and Teatri Scultura. At the start of the ’70s, he joined the international Body Art movement and established a close dialogue with various leading figures from across Europe, creating a working method in which he exploited the use of photography. He developed his research in the field of Comportamento, focusing on the body – and on the face in particular – revolving around an analysis of his own identity as a channel through which to relate to the other. In order to do so, his performative photography often established a relationship with drawing, painting, collage and sculpture, which he considered to be equally important media.
In 1974, his expressive research was presented in the volume by Lea Vergine Il corpo come linguaggio (La “Body- art” e storie simili), published by Prearo Editore. In 1975, Giancarlo Politi featured him in the special issue of Flash Art (no. 52–53) dedicated to artists using the photographic medium. That same year, Renato Barilli involved him in the project Aspetti del Comportamento, with a book and a solo show in Padua, at the Studio d’Arte Eremitani. In Turin, he worked with the Christian Stein and Franz Paludetto / LP220 galleries, and in Berne with Erika+Otto Friedrich. His works were then featured in various public exhibition events, both in Italy and abroad. In 1995, he staged a wide-ranging anthological exhibition at the Forte di Bard (in Val d’Aosta). His many artist’s books and publications frequently accompanied his exhibitions.
In 1998, Ciam was part of the exhibition 1968–1998 fotografia e arte in Italia curated by Walter Guadagnini and Filippo Maggia at the Galleria Civica di Modena, with a catalogue published by Baldini&Castoldi. In 2002 his work was featured in Ars Photographica. Fotografie und Künstlerbücher in Bremen, at the Neues Museum Weserburg Bremen, with a catalogue edited by Anne Thurmann-Jajes. In 2007, on the occasion of his solo show in Prato at the Galleria Enrico Fornello, the publishing house Gli Ori issued the book Giorgio Ciam. Dentro il sogno 1969–1995, edited by Elena Re, the first volume in the Progettosettanta series. In 2010, he was featured in the group show Geografia senza punti cardinali – La fotografia nell’arte degli anni ’70 in Italia at the Galleria Giorgio Persano in Turin, curated by Elena Re, who also edited the exhibition catalogue. In 2012, P420 Arte Contemporanea dedicated a stand to him at MIA – Milan Image Art Fair, and also featured him in the show Un’opera × un libro d’artista in their Bologna gallery. That same year, Mummery+Schnelle, which had presented him at Artissima in 2011 as part of the Back to the Future section, held a solo show curated by Elena Re in their London gallery. In 2013, APALAZZOGALLERY featured him at Miart, the Dallas Art Fair and Art Brussels, also holding the show Giorgio Ciam – Sulla pelle curated by Elena Re in their Brescia space. In 2015, Sotheby’s presented the solo show Giorgio Ciam in the Palazzo Broggi venue in Milan, with a catalogue and exhibition curated by Elena Re. That same year, another exhibition and a publication emerged as part of the Surprise cycle, curated by Gregorio Mazzonis and Maria Teresa Roberto at the GAM – Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Turin. In 2016, the Italian Cultural Institute in London staged the exhibition Giorgio Ciam. In Dialogue with Bacon, curated by Artuner. In 2018–2019, Ciam’s work was included in the group show Tutto. Perspectives on Italian Art at the Museion in Bolzano, an exhibition co-curated by Ingvild Goetz, Leo Lencsés, Karsten Löckemann, Letizia Ragaglia and Elena Re. In 2019–2020, the same exhibition was featured at the Sammlung Goetz, in Munich, with a catalogue published by Hatje Cantz.
