Emanuele Trevi on Art, Genius Loci, and the Sacred
Emanuele Trevi, born in Rome in 1964, is a writer and critic for Corriere della Sera and il Manifesto. He won the 2021 Strega Prize for "Due vite" (Neri Pozza, 2020). In an interview, he cites recent art experiences as most inspiring: a Gnoli exhibition at Fondazione Prada and a Guido Reni show curated by Francesca Cappelletti at Galleria Borghese. He considers Luigi Ontani a constant reference. Trevi dismisses the concept of genius loci as criticized by Stefano Chiodi but acknowledges its importance for his writing. He values the sacred, citing the CERN underground ring in Geneva as the most sacred place he has seen, comparable to Eleusis ruins or Gothic architecture. He is pessimistic about the future since 2001 but hopes his apocalyptic feeling is mistaken. He advises young writers to fully commit to their vocation, quoting Kafka: "destroy yourself."
Key facts
- Emanuele Trevi was born in Rome in 1964.
- He collaborates with Corriere della Sera and il Manifesto.
- His works include 'I cani del nulla' (2003), 'Senza verso' (2004), 'Il libro della gioia perpetua' (2010), 'Qualcosa di scritto' (2012), 'Il popolo di legno' (2015), 'Sogni e favole' (2019).
- 'Due vite' (2020) won the 75th Strega Prize in 2021.
- Trevi was impressed by a Gnoli exhibition at Fondazione Prada and a Guido Reni show curated by Francesca Cappelletti at Galleria Borghese.
- He considers Luigi Ontani a constant reference.
- He read a critical essay by Stefano Chiodi against the concept of genius loci.
- He finds the CERN underground ring in Geneva the most sacred place, akin to Eleusis ruins or Gothic architecture.
- He is pessimistic about the future since 2001.
- He advises young writers to fully commit to their vocation, quoting Kafka: 'destroy yourself'.
Entities
Artists
- Emanuele Trevi
- Luigi Ontani
- Guido Reni
- Francesca Cappelletti
- Gnoli
- Stefano Chiodi
- Franz Kafka
Institutions
- Corriere della Sera
- il Manifesto
- Fondazione Prada
- Galleria Borghese
- CERN
- Neri Pozza
- Einaudi
- Laterza
- Rizzoli
- Ponte alle Grazie
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Geneva
- Switzerland