Mimmo Rotella Centennial: 160 Works at Galleria Nazionale

The Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome presents a major exhibition celebrating the centenary of Mimmo Rotella's birth, featuring over 160 works. Curated by Germano Celant and Antonella Soldaini, the display transforms the central hall into an 'urban interpretation' with six large billboards (each roughly 3x10 meters) that evoke Rotella's signature use of posters. The chronological arrangement of 'manifesto-sets' traces his career from early décollages to later experiments. Vitrines in the hall contain manuscripts, catalogs, and publications, including photographs of Rotella with Robert Indiana and Roy Lichtenstein in 1968, and with Enrico Castellani in 1975. The exhibition follows a series of publications by the Mimmo Rotella Institute, including a catalogue raisonné compiled by Celant from 2012 to 2016, with scientific research aided by paper experts and graphologists to authenticate works and combat forgeries. The show also highlights Rotella's influence on contemporary artists such as Mark Bradford, Klara Lidén, and Mario García Torres. The Mimmo Rotella Foundation, established in 2000, continues to manage the archive and Casa della Memoria in Catanzaro, while the Institute, founded in 2012, oversees exhibition strategy and image rights.