Nanni Balestrini

About the Author

Nanni Balestrini (1935–2019) was a pioneering Italian poet, novelist, and visual artist whose innovative work bridged literature, politics, and experimental art during the turbulent years of post-war Italy. Emerging from the avant-garde circles of the 1960s, he co-founded the Gruppo 63, a collective dedicated to challenging traditional narrative forms through cut-up techniques and multimedia experimentation. Balestrini's writing often captured the raw voices of the working class, reflecting the social upheavals of factory life and revolutionary fervor. His seminal novel, We Want Everything: A Novel, vividly recounts the 1969 strikes in Turin, blending documentary realism with fragmented prose to evoke the collective rage and aspirations of Italy's industrial proletariat. Throughout his career, Balestrini remained a steadfast critic of power structures, influencing generations of writers with his radical, boundary-pushing style.