Lamberto Pignotti and Hogre Explore Identity in Dual Exhibition at Bianco Contemporaneo

At Bianco Contemporaneo in Rome, the exhibition IDENTIKIT pairs Lamberto Pignotti, a founder of the Gruppo '70 and pioneer of Visual Poetry, with anonymous street artist Hogre, known for subvertising. Running until June 6, the show centers on Pignotti's collection of misaddressed envelopes that have accumulated over decades, each bearing a different name or title—Alberto, Mario, Roberto, Pignatti, Pugnotti, Scrittore, Professore, Architetto, Dottore—reflecting a multiplicity of identities. Hogre responds with a series of counterfeit postcards sent from impossible locations, such as a Statue of Liberty card stamped "Saluti da Abu Dhabi" and a Paris-themed card featuring a Japanese pagoda. Pignotti, who studied accounting and international law before becoming an autodidact artist, discusses his rejection of fixed identity, his interest in enigmas and rebuses, and his critique of digital culture. He traces his multidisciplinary approach to early collaborations and his reading of analytical philosophy at the Biblioteca Marucelliana. Hogre, introduced to Pignotti's work through photographer Brigida Brancale, connects their shared critique of power's symbols, referencing Benjamin, Debord, Baudrillard, Luther Blissett, and Culture Jammers. The exhibition explores the dissolution of identity as both playful and serious, questioning who the artist truly is.