La libera maniera: Postwar Italian Abstraction at Casa Museo Ivan Bruschi

The Casa Museo Ivan Bruschi in Arezzo now permanently hosts works from the Intesa Sanpaolo collection, following the bank's 2021 merger with Ubi Banca, which managed the Bruschi Foundation. Since June 2023, historic paintings by Bronzino, Pontormo, Fattori, Lega, and Signorini have been on permanent display. Concurrently, the temporary exhibition "La libera maniera" (curated by Marco Bazzini) presents 34 paintings exploring the birth of abstract and informal art in postwar Italy. The title references a phrase by Vasari, who was from Arezzo. The show traces informal art from 1930s pioneers like Alberto Magnelli and Corrado Cagli through 1950s developments to 1960s outcomes. Featured artists include Accardi, Burri, Castellani, Fontana, Vedova, and Munari. A focus highlights women artists Paola Levi-Montalcini (sister of Rita) and Renata Boero, the only living member of that group. A notable work is Enrico Bai's "Vedeteci quel che vi pare," which blends humor with abstract expression. Afro's 1957 abstract painting connects to Arezzo's 2023 retrospective on the Udine-born painter. After Arezzo, the exhibition travels to Jesi in partnership with the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Jesi.