Il Numinoso: Contemporary Art and the Sacred in Milan

Curated by Giorgio Verzotti, the exhibition 'Il Numinoso' explores the tension toward the sacred in Italian contemporary art across two venues: the Building gallery in Milan and the Basilica of San Celso. The term 'numinoso,' coined by theologian Rudolf Otto in 1917, refers to the experience of the sacred that inspires awe and reverence. The show features works by multiple generations of artists using diverse languages. A significant piece by Maria Lai, dedicated to the Shroud, presents an achromatic cloth with an embroidered crown of thorns, contrasting carnality with elongated suffering. Lucio Fontana's 'Concetto spaziale, Attese' (1960) and Piero Manzoni's 'Achromes' also represent the sacred. Gino De Dominicis's 'D'Io' combines wordplay and vocal elements, balancing irony and spirituality. Amalia Del Ponte offers a personal altar, while Vincenzo Agnetti inscribes apocalyptic text on canvas. Andrea Magni's brass installation on the ceiling evokes circularity, and Remo Salvadori presents a silent interplay of lines. The exhibition poses questions about whether art can sublimate and domesticate the sacred, rather than providing answers.