Lamberto Pignotti's 'Dissonanze' Opens New Lecce Gallery Artpoetry

A new exhibition space dedicated to visual poetry, Artpoetry, has opened in the historic center of Lecce, founded by Salvatore Luperto. Its inaugural show, 'Dissonanze,' features eighteen enigmatic boards by Lamberto Pignotti (born 1926 in Florence), a pioneer of visual poetry and co-founder of Gruppo 70. The works combine empty puzzle tables with faded newspaper clippings and captions, each bearing a musical tempo title (allegretto, maestoso, capriccio) that evokes an emotional state related to the visual enigma. Pignotti's 'dissonant' boards synthesize the contrast between word and image, engaging viewers in an unsolvable sign game that destabilizes perception. Luperto, director of the Asserzioni series for Milella editions and founder of MACMa (Museo di Arte Contemporanea di Matino) in the province of Lecce, has also published two books on Pignotti's research. The next exhibition at Artpoetry will honor poet Mirella Bentivoglio, a key figure in the verbovisual movements of the international neo-avant-gardes of the second half of the 20th century.