Archivio Conz

Geoffrey Hendricks (Littleton, New Hampshire, USA, 1931 – New York City, New York, USA, 2018) was an American artist whose countless representations of the sky in paintings, installations, and performances earned him the moniker “Cloudsmith.” Unlike many of his Fluxus peers, Hendricks favored the use of natural or elemental materials that drew on rural vernacular imagery. Vivid depictions of the sky and clouds appeared on canvases, cars, clothing, and other everyday objects. Since 1973, Hendricks’ works have formed a significant part of Francesco Conz’s collection. The treasured edition Between Two Points. Meditative Rituals (1974–76), a cherrywood case containing relics of three performances and a series of fine black-and-white photographs, was among the first editions curated by Conz and published by Edizioni Pari & Dispari, Reggio Emilia. Hendricks aspired to integrate art and life through a practice rooted in collaboration, a deep appreciation for nature, and precepts of Eastern philosophies. Committed to civil rights, in honor of Brain Buczak and later together with his partner and collaborator Sur Rodney (Sur), Hendricks served on the Board of Directors of the Visual AIDS platform for over a decade. In addition to being represented in some of the world’s most important collections, Hendricks has performed and exhibited internationally, appearing with Fluxus at the Biennale di Venezia (1990), the Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden (1992), the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis (1993), and the Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain de Nice (2003).