Died only one day apart, the iconic couple had greatly contributed to the Italian art scene in the last 50 years
Italian curator and art critic Lea Vergine died just one day after the death of her husband, Italian designer Enzo Mari. The legendary Italian couple died just hours apart in Milan, with Mari, aged 88, passing away on October 19th and Vergine, aged 82, dying on October 20th.
Lea Vergine, born in Naples in 1938, was a leading art figure of the past fifty years. At a very young age, she developed an interest in movements such as kinetic and programmed art as well as any forms of art characterized by political tension. She proceeded to become one of the most influential Italian art historians and curated many exhibitions. Her essays on body art have been widely appreciated and many of them merged in her book titled ‘The Body as Language’ (1974). Throughout her career, Vergine shed new light on female artists’ work while actively influencing the direction of her husband’s projects. About her, Artribune said**: “**Witty speech, strong personality and with an attentive and participatory gaze of contemporaneity, Vergine was an Avant-garde figure in the female panorama of criticism, together with figures of the caliber of Carla Lonzi.”
The legendary Italian couple died just hours apart in Milan, with Mari, aged 88, passing away on October 19th and Vergine, aged 82, dying on October 20th
Enzo Mari, born in Novara, on April 27th, 1932, moved to Milan and trained as an artist at the Brera Academy from 1952 to 1956. Initially, he was involved in the field of programmed art, but he eventually devoted himself to industrial design. He worked on over 2,000 projects, ranging from sculpture and painting to graphic design. He has also been a prolific book author and creator of allegorical installations. Mari created many self-initiated projects and products for international brands including Alessi, Artemide, Danese, Driade, HIDA, KPM, MUJI, Zani&Zani, Zanotta. ****His personal archive boasts about 1,500 projects documented by technical drawings, models, prototypes, transparencies, drawings, proofs of printing, posters, works of art, photographs, books, and catalogs. All of the above has been donated to the city of Milan and it is hosted at Centro di Alti Studi sulle Arti Visive. Part of this heritage is currently displayed in the ‘Enzo Mari Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist‘ exhibition that opened the day before Mari’s death at the Triennale di Milano with the historical curatorship of Francesca Giacomelli.
Ilona Catani Scarlett