The retrospective in Rome, curated by Luca Lo Pinto, offers a compelling exploration of over twenty years of the artist's work, presenting it in a refreshingly unconventional format. Rather than adhering to a strict chronological order, the exhibition's design allows visitors to make their own connections between the pieces. The artist's modular, Brutalist drywall structures serve as intriguing backdrops, hiding installations, videos, and sculptures like oversized punctuation marks, prompting unexpected visual interactions.

One of the highlights is a striking red leather jacket, titled Bettagol, which encapsulates key themes such as self-identity, the complexities of the self, and the playful recontextualization of everyday objects. In the video You’ll Never Walk Alone (2000), Bettagol, the artist's alter ego, engages in a whimsical game with a young Pier Paolo Pasolini. Similarly, in Timecode (2000), the two characters embark on a motorcycle journey through the outskirts of Rome, accompanied by soundtracks from Pasolini’s film Uccellacci e uccellini (Hawks and Sparrows, 1966). The exhibition also features Autoritratto al lavoro (Self-Portrait at Work, 2016 and 2021), where functional rototillers from Benassi repair shops become a commentary on the nature of artistic labor.

Themes of memory and its preservation are also explored. In the microfilms Memorie di un cieco (Memories of a Blind Man, 2010) and the watercolors All I Remember (2010–), simple captions on the backs of archival photographs replace their original context, challenging traditional notions of representation. The piece The Pure Who Can (2024) transforms a telegram from Dziga Vertov, which critiques the deceptive nature of cinematic narratives, into a striking wool carpet.

The exhibition culminates in a powerful tribute at the rear of the vast space: La mano di Dio (The Hand of God, 2024). Here, the catalogue Les Sculptures de Picasso (Paris, 1948)—featuring a cast of Picasso’s hand—takes on a dramatic presence, literally nailed to the wall in a provocative gesture that invites reflection on artistic legacy and the relationship between creator and creation.

Sayart / Amia amyngwyen13@gmail.com