Archivio Conz

Gianni Bertini (1922, Pisa, Italy – 2010, Caen, France) was an influential Italian painter and visual artist known for his pioneering role in post-war European avant-garde movements. Bertini significantly contributed to Tachisme, Art Informel, and later Mec-Art, consistently pushing the boundaries of traditional painting techniques. Beginning his artistic journey in the 1940s, Bertini initially experimented with abstract expressionism and later embraced Tachisme, characterized by spontaneous brushwork, gestural marks, and vibrant colors. By the 1960s, he transitioned to "Mec-Art" (Mechanical Art), an innovative movement emphasizing mechanical reproduction and photography to blur distinctions between manual and mechanical creation. Notable works include his dynamic abstract compositions from the Tachiste period, as well as his Mec-Art series, such as Composition Mec-Art and La rivoluzione industriale. These works often featured layered images, integrating industrial motifs and photographic elements, creating provocative visual commentaries on contemporary life. Bertini’s artwork has been widely exhibited internationally, including major retrospectives and group exhibitions at prestigious institutions like the Venice Biennale, the Paris Biennale, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and various galleries and museums across Europe and the Americas. Gianni Bertini's artistic innovations continue to resonate today, influencing contemporary practices that explore intersections of painting, photography, and mechanical reproduction.