MANN's statues go walkabout in Naples in surreal photomontages

The National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) presents 'Fuga dal museo' (Escape from the Museum), a playful exhibition featuring 40 surreal photomontages by artists Dario Assisi and Riccardo Maria Cipolla. The works depict ancient Greek and Roman statues from the museum's collection inserted into everyday Neapolitan settings: the Crouching Aphrodite hangs laundry on a balcony in Vico Lungo Gelso, the Doryphoros waits at a metro station on Line 1, Canova's Dancer with Hands on Hips appears in Vico San Domenico, and the standing Eros and Psyche flirt in the Real Orto Botanico. The star of the show is the Aphrodite of Capua, shown leaning over a balcony to hang clothes. The exhibition runs from December 2, 2019, to February 24, 2020, at MANN (Piazza Museo, 19, 80135 Naples). It coincides with the museum's recent opening of a new wing dedicated to Magna Graecia. The artists explain their project as a way to animate the statues, turning them into 'real creatures that interact with reality,' wandering the city to discover its mysteries, beauties, and fears. The exhibition challenges the perception of museums as static spaces, demonstrating that cultural heritage remains relevant.