Arrigo Lora-Totino , born in 1928 in Turin, where he died in 2016, is internationally known for his experimental, sound and visual poetry. Together with other authors, he founded the literary magazine “antipiugiù” (1959-1966) for experimental poetry and prose and the magazine “modulo” (Genua, 1966), the first issue of which he edited as an international anthology of concrete poetry. Together with the composer Enore Zaffiri and the painter Sandro de Alexandris, he founded in Turin the “Studio di Informazione Estetica” (1964), which carried on research on the interrelations between visual and sound poetry, electronic music, plastic art. For this period see the object-books “Infinito”, “Nonnulla”, “Busta Celeste”, “Cronofonemi” (1968-69). In the same period he begins the series of “Fonemi” (sound poetry). In the year 1969, with Dietrich Mahlow, he sets up and runs the exhibition of concrete poetry at the Venice Biennale. In 1978 he published an anthology in seven LP records , “Futura, poesia sonora” (Cramps Records, Milan) with an historical-critical introduction concerning the avant-garde sound poetry.

Since 1974 he has been undertaking performances of “Gymnastic Poetry” ( actions achieved in concise gags) and of “Liquid Poetry” (actions performed by an idromegaphone or a liquimophone implements constructed on purpose by Piero Fogliati) and a series of mimic declamations of avant-garde texts, from Futurism to Dadaism, Russian ‘Zaum, Expressionism, Surrealism, Lettrisme and Concretism: about 200 performances in Europe and America. In 1978, with the actress-mime Valeria Magli and the producer Claudio Vitalone, he created the show “Futura” which was broadcast in the program “Nero su bianco” of RAI 2. In the year 1980 he ran the 13 instalments of “Colpo di Glottide”, concerning sound poetry (RAI 1). In 1988 he published “Verbale 1987” and “Fluenti Traslati, concertazione drammatica in quattro tempi” (Flowing Metaphors, in four tempos) (Morra Editions, Naples). In 1989 for the publisher Elytra, he edited “A history of sound poetry” in four cassettes (Elytra, series Baobab, Reggio Emilia) and in the year 2000 he published “Light and Shadow” in collaboration with Getulio Alviani (Bulino Editions, Rome).

For ULU- LATE he wrote “The word shows its body/the vicissitudes of the historical development of the visual element in poetry from the alexandrinian period to contemporary experimentalism” (2002-2010) with a glossary and lots of pictures. English version by Eleonora Vita Heger. To ULU-LATE he also contributed with “Atlas”, concerning visual and sound poetry.

During the period 2000-2010 he has issued many ARTIST-BOOKS in few copies. Among the latest: in 2004 "Altri paesaggi" (portfolio, 30 copies A3, autopublished ), “Spartiti di poesia sonora” (portfolio & CD, 50 copies A4, autopublished ), “Poesie Sonore 1966 – 2001” (portfolio & CD, 80 copies, autopublished), "La voix dinamisée" (portfolio & CD, autopublished, Paris), "Il taccuino dell'ingegnere" (portfolio, 30 copies A4, autopublished,). In 2005 "Marina, 5 tempi sinfonici a 4 mani con S. Cena” (50 copies A4, autopublished, Torino-Lagnes). "Foneentafonamachia" (visual poem), ed. Peccolo, Livorno; "Musique mosaic" (portfolio & DVD of gymnic poetry) ed. Tracce, Cahiers d'art, Ruvo di Puglia in 2009 and "Marinetti ingegnere della parola" (critical essay), Ocra Press Liberoscrivere, Genova in 2010.

Among the LATEST EVENTS: in 2007 “La parola nell’Arte”, MART, Rovereto. "Il teatro della parola", Galleria Peccolo, Livorno and Galleria Spaziotemporaneo, Milano in 2008. In 2009 "Futurismo e avanguardie del secolo XX", Sala della Provincia, Palazzo Doria Spinola, Genova; "Io", Libreria Freddi, Torino; "Sale nostrum" mail art project, Cervia (RA); "Klang suoni contemporanei", Villa Paolina, BAU, Viareggio; "Parole immagini e altro" (a meeting), Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa; “Italian Genius Now. Back to Rome”, MACRO Future, Roma . "Esplodità" by L. Ebalginelli, A. Lora Totino, F. Cajani, P. Brunati Urani, Museo della Carale Accattino, Ivrea in 2010. “Arrigo Lora Totino: la parola come poesia segno suono gesto 1962/1982” by Giorgio Maffei and Patrizio Peterlini, Galleria Barriera, Turin in 2015.

In 2016 with Sandro de Alexandris, Arrigo Lora Totino, seriously ill and bedridden, attends to his last book “Ap punto” (Il Geko Edizioni Recco 2016). He will die, at home, nursed by Lou, his wife, next September.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: see Mirella Bandini, “The theatre of the Word of Arrigo Lora-Totino” (catalogue of the exhibition, Lindau Editions, Turin 1996) and Alessandro Amaducci, “ The Theatre of the Word ” (video-catalogue, issued for the same exhibition).
See also www.archiviomauriziospatola.com.

EMAIL: arrigo.loratotino@alice.it