Carlo Zinelli Exhibition at Palazzo Te Challenges Art Brut Stereotypes

A new exhibition titled 'Visione Continua' at the Sale Napoleoniche of Palazzo Te in Mantua, promoted by Fondazione Cariverona, showcases works by Carlo Zinelli (1916–1974), a key figure in Italian Art Brut. Curated by Luca Massimo Barbero, the show aims to separate Zinelli's art from his psychiatric history, challenging the myth that equates mental illness with genius. Barbero, inspired by the frescoes of the Sala dei Cavalli, described being mesmerized by Zinelli's obsessive, grid-like vision. The exhibition recalls Harald Szeemann's 1963 show 'Insania Pingens', which included Zinelli and addressed madness in art. Zinelli's works, often double-sided with stylized patterns and figures, were created during decades of internment in psychiatric hospitals. Titles for the pieces were assigned posthumously by Sergio Marinelli, Flavia Pesci, and Vittorino Andreoli in agreement with Zinelli's family. The exhibition runs at Palazzo Te.