Biography

Montez is lifestyle!

Gio Montez (Rome, 1987) is an interdisciplinary artist and curator with a diploma in Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome.
He began his artistic career in 2009 working for many years at the Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V. in Frankfurt a.M. as assistant to Mirek Macke, Meisterschueler of Hermann Nitsch, taking an interest in Viennese Actionism and developments in the second and third generations.

THE EARLY YEARS

in the early years Gio Montez has become an active member of the Kunstverein Familie Montez in Frankfurt am Main and the Artistic Director of Atelier Montez in Rome. Since 2012 he has been organising worldwide art projects and productions such as exhibitions, actions, happenings, art residencies and art parties. Eclectic, autarchic multi-medial artist who works freely interchanging techniques and medias as sculpture, installations, photography, drawing, painting, film and performance, creating artworks that mostly become proxemio-kinetic and relational inter-active devices.

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Gio Montez defines his poetics “Art of Action” as an extemporaneous formative attitude operating in both the internal and external space of the fruitor. The transformation itself is the aim of the artist’s action, who is engaged in the existential and aesthetic research of new rituals that reintegrate wonder and the sense of the sacred in contemporary life. The art of action according to Gio Montez is therefore a social practice, which contributes transforming the individual and the society in which he lives, giving him an ever-renewed sense of belonging and happiness.
The artist predilection for informal matter manifest itself in a sober expressive abstinence, thus the poetics of Gio Montez pushes the aesthetic research beyond the subject up to the relational level. His artworks are designed as experiences to surprise, among others, the artist himself, who assists as a user to their revelation.

Private and public art collections

Gio Montez has participated in numerous international exhibitions and actions in museums and institutions such as das Haus der Stadtgeschichte Offenbach a.M., the Museum für Moderne Kunst, Biennale der Lichtkultur, Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Nitsch Foundation, Morra Foundation, Ducci Foundation.
The artist has been represented in several art galleries such as Futurism & Co. (Rome, Italy), B#S Gallery (Treviso, Italy), ART von Frei Gallerie (Berlin, Germany), AA Collections Gallery (Wien, Austria) and Aqua Galerie (Fes, Morocco). In year 2016 Gio Montez has realised a civic monument named “Sublimazione” for the city of Soriano Nel Cimino, which has been now installed in the Palazzo Chigi Albani, in dialogue with the Renaissance sculptural complex of the Fontana di Papaqua and the Bomarzo monster park. His artworks are collected internationally in both private and public collections. Among these are the Kunstverein Familie Montez Art Collection; the art collection of the Ducci Foundation; the art collection of the Zecca and Poligrafico di Stato; La Salerniana contemporary art collection; Umberto Mastroianni Civic Museum’s collection, and many other private collections, among these APS s.p.a. art collection and Gate 5 Gallery art collection;

art critics about Gio Montez

Many people wrote about the Gio Montez’s experience and his artworks:

Claudio Strinati, art historian
“le nouvelle palmeraie”, 2013
presentation text of the Gio Montez solo exhibition promoted from the Ducci Foundation and the C.I.D.I. Fes at the Foundation Esprit de Fes (2013).

Bjoern Boehning, Chef der Berliner Senatskanzlei und Sprecher der SPD

“Die neuen Medien und die Kunst”, 2011

ISBN 978-3-89739-742-0

Nils Bremer, Chefredakteur – Journal Frankfurt

“Und das soll Kunst sein?”, article on the Frankfurter Journal, 2011

Christoph Schütte, Journalist FAZ Frankfurt

“Und das soll Kunst sein?”, newspaper article on F.A.Z., 2011

Markus Frings, Director of the Haus der Stadtgeschichte Museum

“das Gute von Gestern”, 2010

ISBN 978-3-89739-708-8

Robertomaria Siena, art historian

“la città e l’umano”, 2014
presentation of the civic monument “sublimazione” by Gio Montez installed at the Piazzale Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto, Soriano nel Cimino.

Marcella Magaletti, art historian
“Mare Nostrum”
critical introduction of the Mare Nostrum exhibition in the Museo G. Perricone Trapani, and presentation of the installation called NONèTERNIT by Gio Montez acquired in the La Salerniana collection.
&
“Eselsbrücke”
critical introduction to the bi-personal exhibition by Gio Montez & Jos Diegel

Giancarlo Carpi, publisher and art historian
“il corpo con le ali”
ASIN: B07MSDZXL4

Giulia di Paola, art curator
“Prometeo”, 2020
critical introduction to the Prometeo exhibition in the B#S Gallery, Treviso.

Carlo Franza, Contemporary Art historian
“Eselsbrücke”
article written on the Giornale Diplomatico, 09.10.22

Andreas Krüger, Director of the Cultural Office of the German Embassy in Rome
“Eselsbrücke”
Foreword to the bi-personal exhibition by Gio Montez & Jos Diegel
ISBN 978-88-942678-3-9
il Varco Editore, Roma, 2022

Francesco Salvatore Cagnazzo, journalist
“Uozzart”
actual official Montez press office in Rome

Publications 2012-2022

Das Gute Von Gestern
ISBN 978-3-89739-708-8
VDG Weimer, Verlag und Datenbank für Geisteswissenschaften, Kromsdorf/ Weimer, 2010

Neue Welten – Kunsthallen Offenbach
ISBN 978-3-89739-742-0
VDG Weimer, Verlag und Datenbank für Geisteswissenschaften, Kromsdorf/ Weimer, 2012

Montez im exil
ISBN 978-3-00-045918-4
K.V.F.M. e.V. Frankfurt a.M., 2014

Il Corpo Con le Ali – da Edward Muybridge a Dirk Baumanns
Lantana Editore, Roma, 2018

MEIN NEUES ICH
ISBN 978-3-9819105-2-0
V-Kunst – Verlag der Galerie Greulich Frankfurt a.M., 2018

SPLASH! Un tuffo nell’eros
ISBN 978-8894440706
Edizioni Premio Centro Soriano Nel Cimino (Vt), 2019

Arte Ultima – pulsional ritual virtual
by Vitaldo Conte
EAN: 9788898298082
Avanguardia 21 Editore, Rome, 2016

ESELSBRÜCKE – die interpersonale Ausstellung von Gio Montez & Jos Diegel
ISBN 978-88-942678-3-9
il Varco Editore, Roma, 2022

Familienkarten der Lola M.
published by the independent publisher Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V., 2023

the complete list of Gio Montez’s exhibitions

STADTZIRKUS
Collective performance
directed by Gio Montez & Mirek Macke
Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V.
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2010)

DAS GUTE VON GESTERN
collective exhibition curated by Dt. Markus Frings
Museum der Stadtsgeschichte
(Offenbach a. M., Germany, 2010)

UND DAS SOLL KUNST SEIN?
Collective exhibition
by Gio Montez, Frank Rox, Mirek Macke
Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V.
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2011)

FRAGILE HELDEN
collective exhibition
Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V.
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2011)

PECHA KUCHA NIGHT 018
performance “Pig Sisters”
Museum für Moderne Kunst – MMK Maintor–Areal 3
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2011)

KUNSTHALLEN OFFENBACH – NEUE WELTEN
collective exhibition curated by Dt. Markus Frings
M.A.N. Roland Fabrik Gelände
(Offenbach a.M., Germany, 2012)

ARTPOPS (1),(2),
art show curated by Michael Riedel
Pik Dame strip club
(Frankfurt a.m., Germany, 2012)

LE NOUVELLE PALMERAIE
solo exhibition by Gio Montez
curated by Claudio Strinati; promoted by C.I.D.I. Fes and Ducci Foundation
Foundation Esprit De Fes
(Fes, Morocco, 2013)

LA CITTÀ E L’UMANO – V Esposizione nazionale delle arti contemporanee
curated by Paolo Berti
permanent installation “Sublimazione” by Gio Montez at Piazzale Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto
(Soriano Nel Cimino, Italy, 2014)

LUMINALE 2016 – Biennale der Lichtkultur
Action nr. 8 “Illuminazione”
performance by Gio Montez
Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V.
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2016)

ARTE ULTIMA
Presented by Vitaldo Conte, Giancarlo Carpi, Francesca Barbi Marinetti, Antonio Saccoccio e Marcello Francolini
Performance “FUMO” by Gio Montez
Galleria CORE
(Rome, Italy, 2016)

EXEMPLA
Presentation of the Ducci Foundation’s contemporary art collection in Morocco curated by Claudio Strinati.
Galerie Bab Rouah
(Rabat, Morocco, 2016)

Gio Montez – Cheikh Zidor : deux artistes, deux mondes en dialogue
Bipersonal exhibition promoted by C.I.D.I. Fés, curated by dott.ssa Marcella Magaletti
Galerie Aquas
(Fes, Morocco, 2016)

Azione nr. 13 “MERCIFICAZIONE Atto#1”
performance by Gio Montez
Galleria Mondrian Suite
(Rome, Italy, 2018)

“Azione nr. 16, ABITAZIONE”
durational performance by Gio Montez
gallerie ART VON FREI
(Berlin, Germany, 2018)

“Il Corpo con le Ali – Da Edward Muybridge a Dirk Baumanns”
group exhibition curated by Giancarlo Carpi
Galleria Futurism & Co.
(Rom, Italy, 2019)

“LUMINALE 2018” – Biennale der Lichtkultur
Action nr. 8 “Illuminazione” Atto#2
performance by Gio Montez
Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V.
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2018)

“From Dust Till Dust”
group exhibition curated from Chiara Isadora Artico on the occasion of the centenary of the First World War
Galleria B#S Gallery
(Treviso, Italy, 2018)

“Performance Day”
Action nr. 17 ”Rivoluzione”
performance by Gio Montez in collaboration with Kaey Art
curated by Juan Xu, Franziska Eissner, Dirk Baumanns
Ost-stern
(Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 2018)

“V-KUNST_My new me”
group exhibition curated by Christoph von Löw e Andreas Greulich
Fahrgasse – Kunsthandel Leichter
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2018)

AKTION 155. HERMANN NITSCH
group performance directed by Hermann Nitsch
MAMUZ Museum
(Mistelbach, Austria, 2018)

Azione nr. 13, MERCIFICAZIONE Atto#2
perfomance by Gio Montez in collaboration with Valentina Rimauro
Salotto culturale dei Moncada
(Roma, Italia, 2019)

MERCIFICAZIONE – Atto #3
Performance by Gio Montez
SUPERMARKET ART FAIR
(Stockholm, Sweden, 2019)

Otia a Soriano
during the exhibition “Splash” curated by Paolo Berti and prof. Giorgio Di Genova
group performance directed by Gio Montez
Palazzo Chigi-Albani
(Soriano Nel Cimino, Italy, 2019)

PopCon
group exhibition curated by Davide Cocozza
Museo Civico Vittoria Colonna
(Pescara, Italy, 2019)

NITSCH e il suo Doppio
modular anamorphic installation NONèTERNIT – Form 1 – “Thaumatrope” by Gio Montez
Atelier Montez
(Rome, Italy, 2019)

BACCANALE
modular anamorphic installation NONèTERNIT – Form 2 – “testuggine romana” by Gio Montez
Kunstverein Familie Montez e.V.
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2019)

DIE RÖMER KOMMEN
modular anamorphic installation NONèTERNIT Form 2 – “mura di cinta” & Form 3
“Porta del Sole” for the action theatre directed by Gio Montez
Das Internationales Theater Frankfurt
(Frankfurt a.M., Germany, 2019)

QUO VADIS
curated by Georgij Melnikov
modular anamorphic installation NONèTERNIT Form 4 – “Labyrinth” by Gio Montez
Galerie A.A. Collections
(Vienna, Austria, 2020)

Riscatti di Città
group exhibition
Palazzo Merulana
(Rome, Italy, 2020)

PROMETEO
curated by Giulia Di Paola
modular anamorphic installation NONèTERNIT Form 5 -“Mountain” by Gio Montez
B#S Gallery
(Treviso, Italy, 2020)

MARE NOSTRUM
curated by Michele Valenza Cossyro
modular anamorphic installation NONèTERNIT Form 7 – “nave” by Gio Montez
Museo Civico G. Perricone
(Trapani, Italy)

ISOLAZIONE – atto II
group performance directed by Gio Montez
Museo Civico G. Perricone
(Trapani, Italy, 2020)

“Insolito Fellini… Una donna sconosciuta”
curated by Paolo Berti
premier of the film “IN ESISTENTE” directed by Gio Montez
MUVIS
(Castiglione in Teverina, Italy)

AKTION 158. HERMANN NITSCH
group performance directed by Hermann Nitsch promoted by the Morra Foundation & the Nitsch Foundation
Museo Nitsch
(Napoli, Italy, 2020)

Be**pART – the largest collective art show ever!
group exhibition curated by Gio Montez
Atelier Montez
(Rome, Italy, 2021-2022)

Monte(z)citorio
performance by Gio Montez during the Be**pART press conference
Camera dei Deputati
Palazzo Montecitorio
(Rome, Italy, 2021)

Monte(z)citorio #2
performance by Gio Montez during the second Be**pART press conference
Senato della Repubblica Italiana
Palazzo Madama
(Rome, Italy, 2021)

6. Days Play by Hermann Nitsch
Group performance promoted by the Nitsch Foundation
Schoss Prinzendorf
(Prinzendorf an der Zaya, Austria, 2022)

Salotti Trapanesi
curated by Andrea Salvaggio
performance by Gio Montez in collaboration with Valentina Rimauro
Cine teatro Ariston
(Trapani, Italy, 2022)

MALATERRA – Independent Art Festival
modular anamorphic installation NONèTERNIT Form 9 – Cappella by Gio Montez
Il Baglio
(Trapani, Italy, 2022)

ESELSBRÜCKE – die Praktische Übungen zur Erweiterung des kollektiven Gehirnuniversums
Performance by Gio Montez & Jos Diegel
Goethe Institut
(Rome, Italy, 2022)

ESELSBRUÜCKE – Die interpersonale Ausstellung von Gio Montez & Jos Diegel
promoted by the German Embassy in Italy
Palazzo Velli Expo
(Rome, Italy, 2022)