MAXXI launches series on Italian singer-songwriters and visual art

The MAXXI museum in Rome is hosting a new five-part series titled 'Il Cantautore Necessario' from March 29 to May 24, exploring the intersection of Italian singer-songwriting and visual arts since the 1960s. Conceived by singer-songwriter Edoardo De Angelis, the series aims to reveal how visual art has inspired songwriting and how many cantautori have expressed themselves through painting, illustration, and drawing, often creating album covers. The series traces collaborations between musicians and visual artists decade by decade. Notable examples include Domenico Modugno and Franco Migliacci's inspiration from a Chagall painting for 'Nel blu dipinto di blu' (1958), Mario Schifano's covers for Equipe 84, and the painting practices of Dario Fo, Gino Paoli, Edoardo Bennato, and Paolo Conte (who holds an honorary degree in painting). Each session features musician Michele Ascolese, musicologist Luciano Ceri, and is moderated by De Angelis, with historical images, artworks, covers, and live performances. A segment called 'Il quadro di Assante' offers critical insights from journalist Ernesto Assante on the evolution of Italian singer-songwriting.