Painter and object artist Michelangelo Pistoletto is a leading figure in the Italian contemporary art movement, Arte Povera. Taking a radical stance against the art institution in the 1960s and early 1970s, Arte Povera artists believed that art was should not be, and could not be, disconnected from daily life. A new film by Danish director Mike Nybroe captures the artist’s retrospective show at the UK’s Blenheim Palace, where Pistoletto's varied pieces sit amongst the ornate interiors of the spectacular space. Here, Blenheim Art Foundation director Michael Frahm talks about the collaboration:

"I was delighted to work with Michelangelo Pistoletto for the Foundations 2016 programme, to fill the sumptuous rooms and grounds of Blenheim Palace with contemporary art. With a career spanning fifty years, we show Michelangelo’s work through a lens of contrasts—old and new, rich and poor, art and life—while provoking visitors with his philosophies and poetic politics. 

"His masterpiece, The Third Paradise, hangs over the Great Hall, as the symbol of hope for a less materialistic, more unified society. This film, narrated by the artist, reflects the aims of exhibitions: to show how art can transcend time, mobilise individuals and change the way we see the world.