Jacopo Benassi Libero! Interview with the Artist at Palazzo Ducale, Genoa

Jacopo Benassi (La Spezia, 1970) presents 'Jacopo Benassi libero!' at Palazzo Ducale in Genoa, a show of 110 works from the last five years that recreates his studio. The exhibition, open from July 12, 2025, in the Loggia degli Abati, includes a tunnel leading to a toilet where he installed recent pieces referencing Villa Croce museum (closed for renovations). Benassi, who began his career in photography, now defines himself as a contemporary artist, having moved beyond photography to paint and then photograph his paintings, creating a cycle. The project is supported by Blu – Breeding and Learning Unit, a nonprofit founded by Francesco Cavalli, and funded by Strategia Fotografia 2024 from the Italian Ministry of Culture. Benassi's Public Program included encounters and collaborations with the Electropak Festival. He works with Mai 36 Galerie in Zurich (since January 2025) and previously with Galleria Francesca e Alessandra Minini (since 2019). His practice incorporates music and performance; he ran the Btomic club in La Spezia (2010–2015) and collaborates with musicians Luciano Chessa, Lady Maru, and Michele Lombardelli. The exhibition is documented not by a catalog but by an art book. Benassi states: 'Art saves you, because we save each other in a shitty world.'