Piero Golia
1974, Naples, Italy
He lives and works in Los Angeles, USA
A complex and pragmatic artist, a multifaceted provocateur with a neo-Dada imprint, he has made his mark on the international scene with performance actions pushed to the edge of reality that point out the contradictions of contemporaneity with lucid irony.
temporary artwork
Concrete cube
with glass chandelier
2024
Concrete, steel reinforcement, and glass chandelier
A versatile and provocative artist of a neo-Dadaist stamp, he has gained recognition on the international stage through performance pieces that push the boundaries of reality, highlighting the contradictions of contemporary society with sharp irony.
This artwork consists of a concrete cube with a glass chandelier embedded within. The concept is straightforward: submerge an object in concrete and then wait until the concrete sets, trapping the object forever, eliminating its functionality and relegating it to realm of sculpture. Seeming to have just fallen from the eighteenth-century ceiling of Palazzo Diedo, Golia’s sculpture freezes the moment, juxtaposing the fragility of glass with the timeless solidity of concrete, metaphorically exploring the dynamics between tradition and modernity.
Courtesy of the artist
Photos by Massimo Pistore
site-specific | permanent artwork
Untitled (floor)
2024
Metal platform, materials for unfinished Venetian terrazzo floor, and a construction worker
A versatile and provocative artist of a neo-Dadaist stamp, he has gained recognition on the international stage through performance pieces that push the boundaries of reality, highlighting the contradictions of contemporary society with sharp irony.
As often occurs in his practise, this work is an evolving experience that unfolds in two phases, during which Golia shows us the reality of things as they happen, employing art as a cathartic means to engage with the real. While awaiting the realization of the permanent project for Palazzo Diedo, a designed floor in the traditional Venetian terrazzo technique, Golia, who always refers to time and process, puts us in front of the materials that will be used to build it, stacked like a minimalist sculpture. Sitting above, almost like a Rodin’s Thinker, a construction worker with his presence “activates” the work waiting to start building the floor.
Courtesy of the artist