Swiss artist Luciano Castelli rose to international prominence in the 1970s as a central figure of Berlin’s Neue Wilde movement and as muse to Franz Gertsch, who—alongside Patti Smith—made him one of the most important protagonists of his paintings. A painter, photographer, sculptor, performance artist, musician, and provocateur, Castelli challenged notions of gender and identity long before such discussions entered the public arena. From the punk-glam performances of his band Geile Tiere to his Revolving Paintings in Paris, Castelli has continually reinvented himself, slipping between roles and art forms with chameleonic ease.
Japan has remained a continuous thread in his practice—apparent in his self-portraits of the early 1980s and in his fascination with masks, ritual, and theatrical role-play. The exhibition stages a dialogue between Castelli’s early Japan-influenced works and large-scale photographs dedicated to “Butoh,” the haunting “dance of darkness” that addresses themes of impermanence, transformation, and the human condition. These are complemented by powerful new paintings in Castelli’s unmistakable gestural style—including eight monumental folding screens (paravents) created especially for this project in collaboration with a traditional master craftsman in Tokyo. Alongside the folding screens and photographs, visitors will also encounter new and revisited self-portraits spanning decades, as well as immersive spatial interventions, including the film “The Bitch and Her Dog” (1981). This is a multimedia project in the fullest sense. Castelli conquers the exhibition space with brushwork that approaches the calligraphic.
On this afternoon, you can learn more about the artist and discover Castelli's diverse works in an English-language public guided tour.

Website
kbhg.ch/en/1575d/Exhibitions-WHISPERS-OF-JAPAN-Luciano-Castelli

Where
Kulturstiftung Basel H. Geiger | KBH.G
Spitalstrasse 18
4056 Basel

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