Fondazione Mattera Launches on Ischia with Retrospective of Gabriele Mattera

The Fondazione Karin e Gabriele Mattera has been established on the island of Ischia, Italy, housed within the Aragonese Castle. The foundation's inaugural exhibition is a retrospective dedicated to Gabriele Mattera (1929–2005), the artist and philanthropist whose family has owned and restored the castle since 1912. Curated by Jana Curcenco, the show is installed in the never-consecrated Chiesa dell'Immacolata and several rooms of the convent reopened for the occasion. It focuses on Mattera's mature painting from the 1960s onward, featuring series such as 'Tende' (1987–1992) and 'Uomini nella natura' (1993–1999). The exhibition explores the concept of the anchorite, drawing on the philosophy of Pascal Quignard, reflecting Mattera's isolated yet observant life within the castle. The foundation, created by Mattera's children Cristina and Nicola, aims to systematize the production and promotion of contemporary art on the island, continuing the cultural activities that began in 1980 with a show by Giuseppe Santomaso. The Aragonese Castle, a 56,000-square-meter monumental complex abandoned after Italian unification, was purchased at auction by Mattera's grandfather in 1912 and has been undergoing continuous architectural restoration.