1935 born in Brooklyn, US
Studied art with Peter Busa at State University College of New York in Buffalo, US
lives and works in New York, US and Trevi, IT
Michael Venezia is widely considered to have played a major role in the renewal of painting in the 1960s. Back then, together with artist colleagues such as Dan Flavin, Robert Ryman, or Sol LeWitt, Venezia shared the opinion that routine and narcissism had become predominant in Abstract Expressionism, tendencies which they aimed to overcome and transcend. At the end of the 1960s Michael Venezia thus discovered the spray-paint gun as an adequate means to leave behind the gestural and handwritten touch of the brushstroke. Another important step was the reduction of the picture plane to a long narrow wooden bar. Until today, Venezia has remained faithful to this image format on which – by applying new techniques and combining several bars – he continues to achieve new and surprising painterly qualities.
2024 «Venezia a Napoli», Alfonso Artiaco, Napoli, IT
2023 «Compilations», Palazzo Collicola, Spoleto, IT
2022 «The Future Covers the Past», Häusler Contemporary Zürich, CH
2019 «Swerves», Häusler Contemporary München, DE
«Michael Venezia – Paintings», Galerie Greta Meert, Brussel, BE
2017 «1967 | Spray Paintings», Häusler Contemporary Lustenau, AT
2016 «Versionen», Kunstverein Heilbronn, DE
«Versions», Häusler Contemporary Zürich, CH
2015 «Spray», Galerie Greta Meert, Brussel, BE
2014 «Brooklyn Variations», Häusler Contemporary München, DE
2013 «Stop Looking, Start Finding», Häusler Contemporary Zürich, CH
«Michael Venezia – Paintings 1971-2013», Galerie Greta Meert, BE
2010 «Michael Venezia - Recent and 1970’s Paintings», Galerie Greta Meert, BE
2009 «Michael Venezia: Nacht wird Tag», Josef Albers Museum, Bottrop, DE
2006 «Michael Venezia - Kleine Lieder», Museum gegenstandsfreier Kunst, Otterndorf, DE
2001 «Michael Venezia, Paintings», Galerie Heike Curtze, Wien, AT
1997 «Venezia», Museum Moderner Kunst, Otterndorf, DE
«Michael Venezia: Malerei / Painting 1970-1996», Westfälischer Kunstverein Münster, DE
1996 «Michael Venezia: Paintings 1970-1995», Kunstmuseum Winterthur, CH
«Michael Venezia, Survey 1979-1996», Stark Gallery, New York, US
1994 «Michael Venezia: Paintings (A Survey: 1974-1994)», Räume für neue Kunst - Rolf Hengesbach, Wuppertal, DE
1992 «Michael Venezia», Gian Enzo Sperone, Roma, IT
1986 «Michael Venezia, Paintings, 1965-1985», Hartnett Art Gallery, University of Rochester, US
1983 «Michael Venezia/Paintings 1972-1983», Dia Center for the Arts, Dan Flavin Art Institute, Bridgehampton, Long Island, US
1981 «Venezia: Selected Paintings 1969-1980», Memorial Art Gallery of the University of NY, New York, US
1980 «Michael Venezia: Selected Paintings 1969-1980», The Detroit Institute of the Arts, US
1979 «Paintings / Venezia», Sperone Westwater Fischer, New York, US
1977 «Michael Venezia», Sperone Westwater Fischer, New York, US
1976 «Paintings/Venezia», Heiner Friedrich, Inc., New York, US
1974 «Paintings / Venezia», Bykert Gallery, New York, US
1966 «Private View», Axiom Gallery, London, GB
2024 «Zwischen Weissen Wänden», PEAC Museum, Freiburg im Breisgau, DE
2020 «Dialog II: Licht» Brigitte Kowanz | Michael Venezia, Häusler Contemporary Zürich, CH
«Renewing Abstraction», National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, CN
2019 «Nur Skulptur», Häusler Contemporary München, DE
2018 «And The Stars Look Very Different Today», Häusler Contemporary Zürich, CH
2017 «Fokus Papier: Randgänge der Zeichnung», Kunstmuseum Basel, CH
2016 «Energie : analog», Häusler Contemporary Lustenau, AT
«Collector’s Choice - Ordnung und Farbe | Ein Dialog mit der Sammlung Günter Hackenberg», Häusler Contemporary München, DE
«Another Spray» Häusler Contemporary Zürich, CH
2015 «50 Jahre PIN. Freunde der Pinakothek der Moderne», Pinakothek der Moderne, Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, DE
2012 «TRIP», Häusler Contemporary, München, DE
2007 «High Times, Hard Times: New York Painting 1967-1975», National Academy Museum, New York, US | Neue Galerie Graz, AT | ZKM Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, Karlsruhe, DE
2006 «Plane/Figure: Amerikanische Kunst aus Schweizer Sammlungen und aus dem Kunstmuseum Winterthur», Weatherspoon Art Museum, Univ. of North Carolina at Greensboroug, US
2004 «Raumwechsel 1: Angeli, Hersberger, Tollens, Venezia», Kunstraum Alexander Bürkle, Freiburg, DE
2003 «Selections from the LeWitt Collection», New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, US
2001 «Selections from the Permanent Collection», MOCA, Miami, US
1998 «Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Michael Venezia», Galerie Rolf Ricke, Köln, DE
«Die Sammlung, Bestände und Perspektiven», Kunstmuseum Winterthur, CH
1996 «Mark Schlesinger/Michael Venezia: American Painting», Räume für neue Kunst - Rolf Hengesbach, Wuppertal, DE
1995 «Mary Heilmann, David Reed, Michael Venezia, Merrill Wagner«, University of Rhode Island, Providence, US
«Gerrit van Rietveld, Günter Umberg, Michael Venezia», De Zonnehoof, Amersfoort, NL
1993 «The Spirit of Drawings», Sperone Westwater, New York, US
1992 «Slow Art: Painting in New York Now», P.S. 1, Long Island City, New York, US
1989 «Gary Kuehn, Fred Sandback, Michael Venezia», Margarete Roeder Gallery, New York, US
1991 «Presenze: Artisti Stanieri Oggi in Italia», Chiostro di S. Francesco, Gubbio, IT
1986 «Maniere: Forme D’Arte Antica e Contemporanea», Studio D’Arte Lidra, Spoleto, IT
1985 «Sandro Chia, Richard Long, Mimmo Paladino, Michael Venezia», Sperone Westwater, New York, US
1980 «Michael Venezia: Selected Paintings 1969-1980», The Detroit Institute of the Arts, US
1979 «Drawings About Drawing Today», Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, NY, US
1977 «Artists and Friends: Dan Flavin and Michael Venezia», Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, US
«Two Artists: Dan Hill, Michael Venezia», Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, US
1974 «Works on Paper», The Museum of Modern Art, New York, US
1971 «Recent Acquisitions», The Museum of Modern Art, New York, US
1963 «Salon Select ’63», Zuni Gallery, Buffalo, US
Australian National Gallery, Canberra, AU
Galleria Civica d'Arte Moderna di Spoleto, IT
Josef Albers Museum, Bottrop, DE
Kunsthaus Zürich, CH
Kunstmuseum Winterthur, CH
Kunstraum Alexander Bürkle, Freiburg, DE
Kupferstichkabinett Kunstmuseum Basel, CH
Lentos Art Museum, Linz, AT
Museum gegenstandsfreier Kunst, Otterndorf, DE
Museum of Modern Art, New York, US
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, CA
Sammlung Mondstudio, Bad Homburg v.d.H., DE
Sprengel Museum, Hannover, DE
Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, München, DE
State University of New York, Potsdam, US
The Detroit Institute of the Arts, US
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, US
Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, US
Westfälischer Kunstverein, Münster, DE