Gio Ponti retrospective at MAXXI Rome explores architect's multifaceted legacy

The MAXXI museum in Rome presents "Gio Ponti. Amare l'Architettura," a major retrospective dedicated to the Italian master, forty years after his death and six months after a well-attended show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Curated by a predominantly female team led by Maristella Casciato, the exhibition occupies the challenging Galleria 5, creating a dialogue with Zaha Hadid's architecture. The show is structured around eight thematic clusters—such as "Verso la casa esatta," "Classicismi," and "Abitare la Natura"—rather than a chronological narrative, reflecting Ponti's fluid and dynamic approach. It includes original models, photographs, books, magazines, and design pieces linked to his architectural projects. Highlights include a reconstruction of Ponti's Milan apartment at via Dezza, featuring ceramic flooring by Ceramica De Maio and furnishings by Molteni. The exhibition also features a photo commission curated by Paolo Rosselli, with eight photographers—including Thomas Demand, Delfino Sisto Legnani, and Allegra Martin—documenting key Ponti buildings. The graphic design by Leonardo Sonnoli draws inspiration from Ponti's paper maquettes, displayed for the first time thanks to collaboration with CSAC and the Ponti archives. A catalog edited by Casciato and Fulvio Irace, published by Forma Edizioni, collects over 150 images and 45 critical essays.