Mario Giacomelli and Alberto Burri in Dialogue at Senigallia Exhibition

A new exhibition in Senigallia explores the aesthetic affinities between photographer Mario Giacomelli (Senigallia, 1925–2000) and painter Alberto Burri (Città di Castello, 1915–Nice, 1995), focusing on abstraction, materiality, and landscape. Giacomelli, who abandoned painting after encountering Burri's work, turned to photography and developed a practice that echoes Burri's use of black, texture, and surface manipulation. The show highlights series such as "Presa di coscienza sulla natura," "Storie di Terra," and "Motivo suggerito dal taglio dell'albero," where Giacomelli's compositions reference Burri's canvases, plastics, and sacks. Their friendship began at the Angelini framing shop in Senigallia, where Giacomelli met Nemo Sarteanesi, a friend of Burri, leading to correspondence and mutual admiration. Key works include Burri's "Combustione" (1965), "Sacco ST 11" (1954), eight "Cretti" (1971), "Catrame" (1951), and "Sacco e Nero" (1954). Giacomelli's black-and-white photographs transform plowed fields and tree trunks into abstract patterns, while Burri uses combustion, tar, and industrial materials to create textured surfaces. The exhibition is presented by Artribune and curated by Katiuscia Biondi Giacomelli, the photographer's niece, who describes the artists' shared process of "extracting beauty from the contingent."