Alessandra Acocella's monograph on Luciano Caruso's object poetry

Alessandra Acocella's monograph 'Metascritture. Luciano Caruso e Napoli 1963-1976' (Scalpendi Editore, 2020) explores the verbovisual poetry of Luciano Caruso, an Italian artist active in Naples from 1963 to 1976. The book traces Caruso's journey from Foglianise to Naples, where he engaged with the Gruppo 58 and figures like Stelio Maria Martini, Emilio Villa, and Mario Diacono. Caruso's work, exemplified by 'Perspectiva artificialis (in ventre piscis)' (1963), sought to transform poetry into an objectual, gestural act. The volume includes images of works such as 'La vispa Teresa' (1963), collages, anticollages, monochromes, and cancellations like 'L'orma della disciplina' (1967). Caruso's influences range from Torquato Tasso to Wittgenstein, and his 1969 publication 'Poesia figurata nell'Alto Medioevo' reflects his interest in medieval carmina figurata. The monograph originated from a 2008 fellowship by the Archivio Luciano Caruso and led to curated exhibitions at Museo del Novecento (Florence, 2019) and Fondazione CR (Florence, 2019).