Gianni Colombo

Gianni Colombo, born Giovanni Maria Colombo, was one of the most important Italian artists of the 20th century, born in Milan on January 1, 1937, and died in Melzo on February 3, 1993. Coming from an entrepreneurial family, he approached art at an early age and in the 1950s studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, under the guidance of Achille Funi and Pompeo Borra. During this period, he began experimenting with different materials and languages, creating polymaterial works, monochrome reliefs, and interactive environments, influenced by Lucio Fontana and the Surrealism of Max Ernst.
In 1959, he founded the Gruppo T together with Giovanni Anceschi, Davide Boriani, Gabriele De Vecchi, and Grazia Varisco, becoming a leading figure in kinetic and programmed art in Italy and internationally. His works, often mechanical and interactive, involve the viewer in a dynamic perceptual experience, breaking the conventions of traditional art. Colombo exhibited in major galleries and international events, including the Venice Biennale and Documenta in Kassel, producing works ranging from sculpture to installation, graphics to multiples.