[artist profile]
Cesare Pietroiusti’s art practice focuses on problematic and paradoxical situations that are hidden in common relationships and in ordinary acts – thoughts that come to mind without a reason, small worries, quasi-obsessions that are usually considered too insignificant to become a matter of discussion, or of self-representation. In 1994 Pietroiusti was available to do useful things for anyone of the audience who would make a request: he walked dogs, gave shots, cleaned out cellars, and more. In 1997 he published Non Functional Thoughts (ed. Morra, Napoli), a small book containing approximately one hundred useless, parasite or incongruous ideas to be realized as art projects by anyone. Some of these ideas have been executed by artists and curators, such as for the exhibition Democracy! (London, 2000).
In more recent years Pietroiusti mostly concentrated on the topic of the exchange, and on the paradoxes that arise in the folds of economic systems and rules. Starting from 2004 he irreversibly transformed banknotes given to him by other people; distributed thousands of drawings (always unique pieces, individually numbered and signed) for free; sold stories; swallowed banknotes at the end of an auction and subsequently given them back to the successful bidder after their defecation; opened a shop where the goods for sale are banknotes and the currency used to purchase them is the customer’s gaze; set up shows where the artworks are for sale not in exchange of money, but of the best visitors’ ideas, comments, or proposals.
[selected works]
Eating Money – An Auction, 2007, performance by Paul Griffiths and Cesare Pietroiusti part of the series Paradoxycal Economies. Highest bid was 505 Euros, Ikon Gallery Birmingham
Bar di Radda in Chianti 14 agosto 1988, 1988, cibachrome on existing door, cm 202 x 79 x 4, photo by Giacomo Marcucci
Bar di Radda in Chianti 14 agosto 1988, 1988, cibachrome on existing door, cm 202 x 79 x 4, photo by Giacomo Marcucci
Pensieri non funzionali/ Non Functional Thoughts, 1997, a small book (ed. Morra, Napoli) containing approximately one hundred useless, parasite or incongruous ideas to be realized as art projects by anyone
Senza titolo (disegno incompleto), 2017 -, fire on paper old mill 300gr, a drawing begun by Cesare Pietroiusti, 400 unique examples distributed free of charge on the occasion of Sensible Commons. The Living Works, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna, Roma
Lavori da vergognarsi ovvero Il riscatto delle opere neglette, 2015, a “retrospective” of works actually made but never used because they were wrong, ugly or out of context, or slavish copies of other artists, Zoozone, Roma
Alice 29 gennaio 1989, 1989, photo-collage on aluminum and wooden structure in 1:5 scale of the outer side of the walls and ceiling of the Galleria Alice Roma
Finestre Vivita 1, 17 e 29 novembre 1989, January 1990, 10 photographic “views” of eight exhibition spaces, Galleria Vivita 1 Firenze
One Hundred Pieces of Clothing, 1992, 65 garments lent with an increasing numbering according to the age of the lender and returned at the end of the exhibition, Puerta de Toledo, Madrid
One Hundred Pieces of Clothing, 1992, 65 garments lent with an increasing numbering according to the age of the lender and returned at the end of the exhibition, Puerta de Toledo, Madrid 
One Hundred Pieces of Clothing, 1992, 65 garments lent with an increasing numbering according to the age of the lender and returned at the end of the exhibition, Puerta de Toledo, Madrid 
Giochi del senso e/o nonsenso. Invito alla Quadriennale, 1996, collective action with the participation of about 300 artists and not, XII Quadriennale di Roma
Giochi del senso e/o nonsenso. Invito alla Quadriennale, 1996, collective action with the participation of about 300 artists and not, XII Quadriennale di Roma 
Visite, 8 maggio 1991, performances, small groups of five to ten people led by the artist carried out guided tours of the apartments located in the same building where the gallery was located, Galleria Il Campo Roma; part of the exhibition Stories, curated by Domenico Nardone and Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev
Comunione, 7 giugno 2018, performance with an officiant (the artist) and six seated performers accompanied by a text structured according to the main parts of the Catholic Mass, Angelo Mai, Roma
Comunione, 7 giugno 2018, performance with an officiant (the artist) and six seated performers accompanied by a text structured according to the main parts of the Catholic Mass, Angelo Mai, Roma 
Pensiero unico, 22 marzo 2003, performance lasting about 4 hours in which the artist sang, alternately and without interruption, the first verse of the songs Giovinezza and Vincere, stopping only when he became voiceless. The action ended at 23.45. Saletta Comunale per l’arte contemporanea, Castel San Pietro (Bologna)
Pensiero unico, 22 marzo 2003, performance lasting about 4 hours in which the artist sang, alternately and without interruption, the first verse of the songs Giovinezza and Vincere, stopping only when he became voiceless. The action ended at 23.45. Saletta Comunale per l’arte contemporanea, Castel San Pietro (Bologna) 
Artworks That Ideas Can Buy, 2009, solo show and performance, 10 artworks by 10 international artists for sale, but currency that can “buy” them is not money, but visitors’ ideas left in sealed envelopes, Wilkinson Gallery project Space, London
Louisiana Museum, May 5-12, 1996, 1996, performance and installation, Louisiana Museum, Copenaghen
Tutto quello che trovo / Everything I Can Find, 1999, performance from 5 pm to 10 pm, Studio Cantini, Firenz
Scuola del disegno e della pittura in assenza di talento / School of Drawing and Painting in the Absence of Talent, 2018, Casa Morra, Napoli, photo by Iacopo Seri
How to Irreversibly Transform Money, 2004, a project by Paul Griffiths and Cesare Pietroiusti, 90 altered banknotes, for a total value of about 1000 Euros. At the end of the exhibition each contributor was returned the residue of his/her bank-note(s), together with a certificate, photo by Somogyi Hajnalka, Courtesy the artists and Trafo, Budapest
Money-Watching, 2007, performance curated by Ikon Gallery Birmingham in which a normal shop, located in a commercial area of the city, sells, for a day, a number of 10 and 20 GB£ banknotes. In order to purchase such items, the customer is required to look at both of its sides for a determined amount of time, New Street, Birmingham, Photo by Chris Keenan. Courtesy the artist and Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
Stefano Arienti and Cesare Pietroiusti, Disponibilità della cosa, 2008-2012, in collaboration with Paolo Bergmann, action and sculpture consisting of about 202 50 Euro banknotes delivered by dozens of people who, voluntarily, have subscribed one or more shares of the same value. MAMbo, Bologna, photo by Matteo Monti, Courtesy the artists and MAMbo Bologna
Untitled (transient possession), 2008, union beer on Modigliani 200 gr paper, series of 10,000 unique artworks distributed for free and subject to limited ownership, Ljubljana
Integrazione Europea, September 17 2005, performance in which the artist tore a 100 euro banknote into six pieces and gave each piece to six young Albanian artists. The banknote, after the six pieces were evacuated was put back together and should be considered a collective artwork, Tirana
Integrazione Europea, September 17 2005, performance in which the artist tore a 100 euro banknote into six pieces and gave each piece to six young Albanian artists. The banknote, after the six pieces were evacuated was put back together and should be considered a collective artwork, Tirana 
Sbiancamento banconote con acido solforico, 2007, part of a series of three performances that took place in the same period of time (1) Give the artist a banknote you own (minimum value 20 euro); he will modify it with sulphuric acid and return it with a certificate; 2) Observe a 20 euro bill for 14 minutes without interruption (watch each side for 7 minutes) and it will become yours; 3) Observe one of the artist’s drawings for 3’ 30” without interruption and it will become yours), Bruxelles, photo by Martina Della Valle
Un certo numero di cose 1955-2019 / A Certain Number of Things 1955-2019, 2020, retrospective exhibition, MAMbo, Bologna, photo by Giorgio Bianchi, Courtesy MAMbo, Bologna and the artist
Un certo numero di cose 1955-2019 / A Certain Number of Things 1955-2019, 2020, retrospective exhibition, MAMbo, Bologna, photo by Giorgio Bianchi, Courtesy MAMbo, Bologna and the artist
