Manuele Cerutti's Surreal Paintings Explore Parenthood and Creativity at Collezione Maramotti

Manuele Cerutti's exhibition 'Quem Genuit Adoravit' at Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy, features six large oil paintings, two small ones, and 31 pencil sketches and watercolours. The show, on view through July 28, draws its title from a phrase on a 1570s fresco by Giovanni Bianchi (Bertone) in a local church, where a miracle occurred in 1596. Cerutti, a Turin-based artist and new parent, depicts a narrative where a boychild sprouts from a man's left leg, referencing marcotting—a plant propagation technique. Works like 'Tutte le mani dormono' (2023–24) show the artist napping in his studio with a black plastic bag tied to his calf, while 'Perdere l'eroe conservare la ferita' (2023–24) portrays him under an underpass. The cycle explores themes of creativity and fatherhood, with the artist appearing in multiple avatars. The exhibition's achronological hang enhances its enigmatic quality, aligning with the mysteries of parenthood and artmaking.