Giuseppe Penone : Forty Years of Creation

Giuseppe Penone's work is characterized by the beauty of its form and materials as well as the existential questions it raises. Associated with the Arte Povera movement and focusing as much on the creative process as on the work itself, the artist identifies himself with the river, the breath, and, more abstractly, movement and life. His works have been exhibited around the world, including his famous l'Arbre des voyelles(1999) in the Tuileries Gardens in Paris. In 2013, Penone will be exhibiting as Guest of Honour in the Chateau de Versailles. Combining historical, scientific, and poetic approaches, this handsome volume is structured around seven key themes in Penone's work: breath, eyes, skin, heart, blood, memory, and speech. Giuseppe Penoneincludes documentation of the artist's sculptures, drawings, photographs, and writings, and provides a fascinating overview of one of today's major international artists.

Laurent Busine is director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of the French Community of Belgium at the Grand-Hornu. Didier Semin is professor of art history at l'École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.