Metaphysical Art Exhibition in Milan Explores Movement's Legacy Across Disciplines

A major exhibition titled 'Metafisica/Metafisiche. Modernità e malinconia' is currently on view in Milan, Italy, curated by Vincenzo Trione. The show examines the Metaphysical art movement that emerged in Italy during the early 20th century as a contrasting response to Futurism. While Futurism, founded by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti in 1909, celebrated speed, technology, and modernity, Metaphysical art presented suspended, melancholic visions featuring ordinary objects and classical urban spaces. The exhibition is organized across four venues: Palazzo Reale, Museo del Novecento, Grande Brera-Palazzo Citterio, and Gallerie d'Italia, featuring approximately 400 works. It coincides with the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The display at Palazzo Reale is structured into four thematic sections: 'Il grande metafisico,' 'La Metafisica,' 'Le Metafisiche,' and 'Altre metafisiche.' It includes significant works by Giorgio de Chirico, such as 'Il rimpianto' (1919) and 'Il figliol prodigo' (1922), though notably excludes his 'Le Muse Inquietanti' (1918). Other featured artists from the movement's core include Carlo Carrà, with pieces like 'Composizione TA (Natura morta metafisica)' (1916-1918), Filippo De Pisis, Alberto Savinio, and Giorgio Morandi. The exhibition expands beyond painting to explore Metaphysical influences in architecture, photography, theater, design, fashion, music, and comics. Architectural projects by figures like Marcello Piacentini and contemporary architects such as Frank Gehry and David Chipperfield are included. Photography selections feature works by Gabriele Basilico and Luigi Ghirri. The display also incorporates fashion items from designers like Armani and Fendi, theatrical designs, and comic art. A critical assessment within the review suggests the exhibition's international scope is limited, lacking comparisons with contemporaneous movements like Germany's New Objectivity or American painters such as Edward Hopper. The later sections, particularly 'Arcipelago Metafisica,' are noted as potentially forced in their attempt to claim Metaphysical art's influence on other 20th-century movements. The exhibition concludes with a dialogue between de Chirico's later works and an installation by Francesco Vezzoli. A comprehensive catalog has been published by Electa. The review, authored by Ludovico Pratesi, argues that the exhibition's ambitious scale might benefit from greater focus, suggesting 'less is more.'