Manfredi Beninati's Phantasmal Paintings at Castelbuono

Manfredi Beninati's solo exhibition at the Museo Civico di Castelbuono explores the concept of 'phantasma'—a term from 15th-century dance theory meaning both 'ghost' and 'image of fantasy.' The show features drawings, paintings, and collages from the 2000s to the present, using diverse techniques and materials. Beninati, born in Palermo in 1970, worked in Rome's film industry and later in London as an assistant to Gilbert and George during the Young British Art movement. His works layer visions and citations, evoking Italo Calvino's 'Invisible Cities' and Antonio Ligabue's naive imagery, blending classical and pop references. One room reconstructs a domestic interior at full scale, viewable only through a window, recalling his 2005 Venice Biennale installation that won the public prize. The atmosphere is suspended, fairy-tale, and melancholic, with objects appearing to move as if animated by a ghost.