After attending the Academy of Monaco, Willy Verginer has exhibited in numerous European art shows since 1993. His works include site-specific installations, including the successful "Cecità assault", an installation featuring a number of figures positioned around a floating pier. In 2011, Verginer was asked to represent the Region of Trentino Alto Adige at the 54th International Venice Biennale.

Verginer, considered one of the leaders of magic realism, "provokes and caresses" wood with a decisive and almost violent touch, and his pieces are neither archaic or ecclesiastic. Instead of totems, menhirs, or statues, Verginer creates images in motion which show signs of the tools of the trade: the gouge, plane, and rasp. "All tools with short, hard names that, to those with a good eye, still seem to be in action" (G. Bachelard).

His wooden sculptures are rendered in full relief and worked in the round; the figures rise up with all their mass and volume, and the observer can almost sense the weight of their material in the space they occupy. With a nod to the historic and contemporary statuary tradition, the figures often seem concerned only with themselves and their own internal system of formal relationships and meanings.

He has collaborated with the Liquid art system since 2011.

Personal exhibitions

2017

• High Waters, Art Miami, Liquid art system, Context Miami, Florida, USA

2016

• Human nature, Galleria Andiren/Kavachnina, Paris - FR

2015

• Théâtre de l’absurde, a cura diValérie Formery , Museo Ianchelevici, La louvière - BE

2014

• Nature Humaine, Galleria LeRoyer, Montreal - CAN
• BaumHaus curated by Alberto Zanchetta, Museo d’arte contemporanea di Lissone - IT

2013

• Bicromie curated by Chiara Canali, Brerart, CC-Tapis - Milano - IT
• Human Nature, Gallery Majke Hüsstege, s'Hertogenbosch ( NL)

2012

• Alle porte del silenzio (with Robert Bosisio), curator: Elio Vanzo, Centro d'Arte Contemporanea, Cavalese (TN) - IT
• Solo show (with George de Decker), Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus, Antwerp - BE

2011

• In Hoc Signo, Arte Boccanera Gallery, Trento - IT

2009

• Disequilibri - Arte Gallery Il Castello - Trento - texts of the catalogue by Alberto Zanchetta and Arnold Tribus

2008

• Gallery Andrea Arte Contemporanea

2007

• I conquistatori dell'inutile - Gallery Il Castello Milano curator Luca Beatrice
• Eben in eden - with Florenzia Martinez Gallery Tazl Graz (A)

2006

• Art Gallery Il Castello Trento curator Danilo Eccher
• Flëures tla flaura - Istitut Ladin Micurà de Rü San Martin de Tor (Val Badia)

2005

• Prisma Gallery Bolzano texts of the catalogue by Letizia Ragaglia

2004

• Scatules - Des Alpes Selva in Val Gardena

2003

• Galleria Spatia - Bolzano

1993

• Artistic Circle in Ortisei
• Spatia Gallery in Bolzano texts of the catalogue by Danilo Eccher

1991

• Municipal gallery of Bressanone

Collective Exhibition

2017

• Afther Industry, Wasserman projects, Detroit Michigan - USA
• Arte dopo il 1900, Tirolo-Alto Adige-Trentino, Opere della Collezione Kreuzer, curators: Roberto Festi and Carl Kraus, Palazzo Trentini, Trento - IT

2016

• Garten,70 Anni Südtiroler Künstlerbund, Hofburg Brixen - IT
• Keep the Silence, Galleria Python, Erlenbach Zurigo - CH
• Über alle Gipfeln, curator Caesar Babette, Stadtgalerie Wangen, Algäu - D

2015

• Nature, curator Margherita de Pilati, Mart, Civica, Trento - IT
• Open Art 2015, Örebro, SV
• Imago Mundi- Luciano Benetton Collection- Fondazione Cini, Venezia - IT
• Willy Verginer- Nadine Callebaut, Galleria Van Campen &Rochtus- Antwerpen - BE
• Tesoro d’Italia, curator Vittorio Sgarbi, Padiglione Italy, Expo 2015 - IT
• Mater, percorsi simbolici sulla maternità, Palazzo del Governatore, Parma - IT

2014

• Il disegno degli scultori, curated by Camilla Martinelli, Kunsthalle Eurocenter Lana - IT
• Biennale Gherdëina, curated by Luca Beatrice, Ortisei, Bolzano - IT
• Chiamata a raccolta, collezioni private in mostra, curated by Roberto Festi, Galleria Civica Trento - IT
• Mountain Breeze, Galleria Python, Erlenbach/ Zurigo - CH

2013

• Quelli che parlano agli alberi, Leo Galleries, Monza - IT
• Upokeimenon ( sott’ acqua) a cura di Gianluca D’ Inca Levis, Spazio di Casso (Belluno) - IT
• Three by Tree - Gallery Van Campen & Rochtus - Antwerp - BE
• Eco-Logica - Galleries, Monza - IT
• Naturales Quaestines - Arengario, Monza - IT
• Un'idea di scultura, Gallery Eventinove, Borgomanero (Novara) - IT
• Un'idea di scultura Gallery Marcorossi, Verona - IT

2012

• L'uomo selvatico o dell'eleganza dell'animale, Gallery Forni, Bologna collaboration with Biffi Arte Piacenza - IT
• Coney Island 1903, curator Fabio Bartolini, Arte Boccanera Gallery,Trento - IT
• Sculture, Girolamo Ciulla-Chris Gilmour-Willy Verginer,Eventinove Turin - IT
• Sculture, Girolamo Ciulla-Chris Gilmour-Willy Verginer, Marcorossi Artecontemporanea, Monza - It
• Biennale Italia - Cina, curator: Sandro Orlandi with the collaboration of Ivan Quaroni, Wang Chunchen and MIan Bu, Reggia Reale - Monza (MB) - IT
• Padiglione Italia alla 54°Biennale di Venezia, Trentino Alto Adige curator Vittorio Sgarbi, Palazzo Trentini, Trento
• Maravee Fabrica, curator di Sabrina Zannier, Castele di Susans, Majano (UD)
• Vulpes Pilum Mutare, curator di Carolina Lio e Infart Collective, Museum Civico, Bassano del Grappa
• La Pierre de la Folie, curator di Alberto Zanchetta, Dolomiti Contemporanee, Sass Muss , Sospirolo (Bl)
• My personal crime, Gallery Trasformatori, Centrale Fies, Dro (Tn)
• Corpi esposti, Gallery Contemporanea Barbara Frigerio, Milano
• Scultura di legno, Gallery dell'Incisione, Brescia.

2011

• Verbeelding uit Val Gardena - Museum Coda - Apeldoorn ( NL)
• Autumn leaves Galerie Van Campen & Rochtus Antwerpen - (B)
• Oltre l'Orizzonte - Cavalese TN -curator Elio Vanzo
• Physis - Studio d'Arte Fioretti - Bergamo - curator Ivan Quaroni
• Hähenluft - curators Lisa Trockner und Thomas Sterna - Galleria Civica - Bressanone

2010

• Che cos'é la scultura Moderna? (reprint)
• Gallery MarcoRossi Spiralearte - Pietrasanta and Verona - curator Luca Beatrice
• Contemporary Carvings - Gallery The Chapelrow- Bath (HN)
• Trëi Scultëures - City Gallery - Wangen (D)
• Tycius (1ST) - Loggia del Capitaniato - Vicenza - curator Alberto Zanchetta
• Tadzio - Gallery Bianconi - Milano - curator Alberto Zanchetta

2009

• Father & Son - Gallery Tazl - Weiz (A)
• Arte diffusa - Trento - curator Mariella Rossi - Parallelevent of Manifesta 7
• Symbiosis Sculpture in the new seat of the Chamber of Commerce Bolzano - Parallelevent of Manifesta 7
• Pedifesta - Sa Pilat - Ortisei
• Verginer x 3 - Gallery Max 21 - Iphofen (D)

2008

• Sguardi verso l'infinito - Castle of Cento ( Ferrara)
• L'Idea della Montagna - Maso Sprizzi - Folgaria - curator Maurizio Scudiero
• Trienala Ladina - Museum Ladin Ciastel de Tor - St.Martin in Thurn Abtei
• Out! Arte e Sport - Complesso monumentale di Santa Caterina Oratorio de' Disciplinati - Finale Ligure

2007

• Fortearte Fortress Franzesfeste
• Kunstszene Südtirol Aktuell Lanserhouse Eppan curator Letizia Ragaglia

2006

• Auguri ad Arte Mart Rovereto
• Unika Ortisei
• Nove per due Art Gallery Il Castello Trento exhibition n.369
• Kunst-Szene-Südtirol Palais Lichtenstern Feldkirch (A)

2005

• Expedition Krastal Gallery Villach (A)
• Unika - Ortisei
• Südtiroler Künstlerbund - Katzenzungen Prissiano
• Parola alla materia Art Gallery Il Castello - Trento - exhibition n.366
• International Artexpo New York