Roberto Cuoghi's Radical Painting Survey at Fondazione Pascali Through 2026

Roberto Cuoghi presents a decade of work in a solo exhibition at Fondazione Pascali in Polignano a Mare, Italy, running until May 3, 2026. The show, part of the XXVII Premio Pascali, features new paintings that mock the medium alongside sculptures like the agar-agar works from "Ether en Flocons" (2018) and the large silk, wool, and acrylic spider piece "A(XLVIIPs)t" (2021). Cuoghi, described as subtly intelligent and clearly ironic, critiques contemporary painting's market-driven logic and "stylization," where references are flattened and available 24/7. He argues painting has never been necessary but floats among other forms, with urgency now a form of resignation. The artist rejects being labeled "generative," noting we reduce error possibilities through cataloging and predictions. In a candid interview, Cuoghi discusses disalignment as a pose, not an existential stance, referencing a recent antizionist group's boycott request for his upcoming MAXXI show in Rome. He dismisses blame as useless, emphasizing not being sucked into rhetoric. Works include unsettling puppets of Abraham Lincoln, Obama, and Pope Francesco, and a portrait possibly made with AI where nothing is visible beyond the image itself.