Maria Lai retrospective 'Essere è tessere' opens at Museo Madre in Naples
On June 25, 2026, the Museo Madre in Naples launched 'Maria Lai. Essere è tessere,' a significant retrospective dedicated to the Sardinian artist Maria Lai. Curated by Mónica Amor and Carlos Basualdo, with support from Giulia Brandinelli and in collaboration with the Archivio and Fondazione Maria Lai, this exhibition delves into Lai's artistic practices, including assemblage, textiles, sewing, collage, and orality. It addresses themes such as abstraction, materiality, feminism, and the crises in postwar art. Unlike the 2019 retrospective at MAXXI, this exhibition focuses on historical-critical engagement. It also reactivates 'Mare Muro, per Ille' (1984) and critiques the lack of photographer credits. The exhibition will be open until September 21, 2026.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Maria Lai. Essere è tessere' opened June 25, 2026 at Museo Madre, Naples.
- Curated by Mónica Amor and Carlos Basualdo, with Giulia Brandinelli.
- Collaboration with Archivio and Fondazione Maria Lai.
- Chronological and thematic layout, differing from the 2019 MAXXI retrospective.
- Opens with reactivation of 'Mare Muro, per Ille' (1984) with audio by Hilegonda Brinkman.
- Criticism for missing photographer credits: no name for 1950s studio portrait, and Piero Berengo Gardin not credited in 'Legarsi alla Montagna' labels.
- Includes didactic room with 'Il volo del gioco dell'oca' and 'I luoghi dell'arte a portata di mano'.
- Contextual references to Sardinian literature: Cambosu's 'Miele Amaro' and Dessì's 'Un pezzo di luna'.
- Runs until September 21, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Maria Lai
- Hilegonda Brinkman (Ille Strazza)
- Piero Berengo Gardin
- Gianni Berengo Gardin
- Salvatore Cambosu
- Giuseppe Dessì
- Kazuko Miyamoto
- Tomaso Binga
Institutions
- Museo Madre
- Archivio Maria Lai
- Fondazione Maria Lai
- MAXXI
- Teatro Due
- M77 Gallery
- Madre museum
- Premio Meridiana
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Rome
- Cagliari
- Ulassai
- Sardinia