Mario Schifano's Last Decade Explored in Aosta Exhibition

The exhibition "Mario Schifano. Verde fisico" at Tour Fromage in Aosta (April 30–July 24, 2022) focuses on the artist's final prolific decade, particularly his 1988 residency at the abandoned priorate of Saint Bénin. Curated by Janus (Roberto Gianoglio), the show presents 33 paintings and 7 works on paper, including five pieces acquired by the Region for the permanent collection of Castello Gamba: "Calore locale (II)", "Collinare", "Per vedere", "Orizzontale", and "Vista interrotta". These are displayed in the tower with a 360° view of the valley. The exhibition also features a video documenting Schifano's 1985 performance "Chimera" in Florence's Piazza Annunciata, where he painted a 4x10 meter canvas before thousands, commented on by Achille Bonito Oliva. Two large paintings open the show: "Tearful" (1990), based on a Time magazine photo of US soldiers departing for Iraq, and "Sorrisi scomparsi" (1991), referencing the Kuwait war with Arabic script. Four monumental panels from the 1993 Venice Biennale, each composed of 336 photographs with painterly interventions, highlight Schifano's engagement with television and media. The exhibition is organized by Casa Testori and coincides with the 80th birthday of gallerist Emilio Mazzoli, whose complex relationship with Schifano is illustrated by a previously unseen diptych "Caro Emilio continua…" (1994-95). The show runs until July 24, 2022.