Exhibition in Rome Features Photographs Documenting Carlo Levi's Final Visit to Basilicata

An exhibition titled 'Il popolo lucano di Carlo Levi' is on view at the Fondazione Levi in Rome until April 18, showcasing photographs by Domenico 'Mimì' Notarangelo. The images capture Carlo Levi's journey to Basilicata in December 1974, one month before his death, where he participated in cultural events and visited communities he had been connected to since his exile in the 1930s. Notarangelo, a journalist and Communist Party official from Matera, documented Levi's travels, including presentations in Matera and gatherings with locals in towns like Grassano and Aliano. The photos also depict Levi's funeral, which was held in multiple locations—Rome, Eboli, and Aliano—reflecting his deep ties to the region. The exhibition highlights Levi's roles as a painter, writer, and left-wing political figure, with images from a 1968 campaign event in Matera where he ran for the Senate. Notarangelo's black-and-white photography conveys the everyday lives and emotions of Basilicata's residents, emphasizing themes of civic passion and rural resilience. The display includes personal artifacts, such as a painting gifted by Levi to Notarangelo, and critiques the lack of permanent exhibition space for Levi's extensive artistic output, much of which remains in storage. This show offers insight into Levi's enduring relationship with southern Italy and his cultural legacy.