Alessandra Mammì's Quarantine Archive: Chance Encounters with Cesare Pietroiusti
In March 2020, amidst Italy's COVID-19 lockdown, journalist Alessandra Mammì reminisces about a serendipitous encounter with artist Cesare Pietroiusti. On March 4, she met him at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome to talk about a contemporary map of the city. He presented her with "Un certo numero di cose – 1955-2019," a catalog from his 2019 exhibition at MAMbo. While in quarantine, Mammì discovered a childhood picture featuring a Santa Claus that resembled one from Pietroiusti's book, taken in December 1956. She relates his early work with Jartrakor to her choice to abandon art history studies. Currently, Pietroiusti serves as president of Palaexpo, and the book was published by Nero, established by Luca Lo Pinto, who aims to reopen MACRO in autumn 2020.
Key facts
- Alessandra Mammì met Cesare Pietroiusti at Palazzo delle Esposizioni on March 4, 2020.
- Pietroiusti gave Mammì the book 'Un certo numero di cose – 1955-2019'.
- The book accompanied his exhibition at MAMbo in Bologna, which closed January 6, 2020.
- Mammì found a childhood photo of herself with the same Santa Claus as in Pietroiusti's book, taken at Piazza Navona in December 1956.
- Pietroiusti was involved with Jartrakor, a studio/laboratory founded by Sergio Lombardo and Anna Homberg.
- Mammì studied under Augusto Gentili at Sapienza University in the 1970s.
- Pietroiusti's 1988 work at Bar di Radda in Chianti involved transferring graffiti from a toilet door.
- A 1989 catalog 'ARCA' included a debate between Alighiero Boetti and Cesare Pietroiusti.
- Pietroiusti is president of the board of Palaexpo.
- The book is published by Nero, founded in 2004 by Luca Lo Pinto.
- Luca Lo Pinto is the new director of MACRO, planning to reopen in autumn 2020.
Entities
Artists
- Cesare Pietroiusti
- Alighiero Boetti
- Sergio Lombardo
- Anna Homberg
- Piero Manzoni
- Luca Lo Pinto
- Alessandra Mammì
Institutions
- Palazzo delle Esposizioni
- MAMbo
- Jartrakor
- Sapienza University
- Palaexpo
- Nero
- MACRO
- Artribune
- D repubblica
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Bologna
- Piazza Navona
- Radda in Chianti
- Milan
- Volpaia