Mimmo Jodice's metaphysical Naples dialogues with de Chirico at Castel Nuovo

The exhibition 'Mimmo Jodice. Napoli Metafisica' opens at Castel Nuovo in Naples, curated by Vincenzo Trione, as part of the Napoli Contemporanea 2025 initiative led by mayor Gaetano Manfredi. The show pairs black-and-white photographs by Mimmo Jodice (born 1934 in Naples) with works by Giorgio de Chirico, exploring themes of the invisible and the metaphysical. It is staged across three spaces: the Cappella Palatina, the Cappella delle Anime del Purgatorio, and the Armeria. In the Cappella Palatina, Jodice's photographs are organized into categories such as Da lontano, Archi, Colonne, Statue, Monumenti, Ombre, Apparizioni, and Vuoti, creating a chiasmatic dialogue with de Chirico's imagined world. The Cappella delle Anime del Purgatorio features the sections Da Lontano and Vuoti, with a balustrade separating viewer from artwork, while dim lighting enhances the metaphysical atmosphere. The Armeria hosts a video by Mario Martone from the documentary 'Un ritratto in movimento. Omaggio a Mimmo Jodice' (2023), introduced by a poem by Valerio Magrelli titled 'Per Mimmo Jodice'. Jodice's images, devoid of people, are described as containers of lost memories and future possibilities, capturing a silent yet resonant Naples. The exhibition is part of a broader valorization project for Castel Nuovo, aiming to restore centrality to art in the city's life.