Criticism of Italy's oversized Biennale pavilion and Tosatti's failed intervention

Pericle Guaglianone criticizes Gian Maria Tosatti's installation for the Italian Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, arguing that Tosatti's shift from horror-inflected church works to overtly political industrial aesthetics falls flat. The pavilion's vast, bipartite space is deemed excessive and limiting, forcing curators to select only artists capable of large-scale environmental installations. Guaglianone proposes halving the space to match other national pavilions, allowing for greater artistic diversity including small-format painters. The review highlights the mismatch between Tosatti's strengths and the assigned theme, noting that only a fleeting trace of a crucifix on a bed evokes genuine emotion. The title, described as a misleading 1970s prog-rock album reference, is also criticized.