Mutsuo Hirano and Thomas Lange's 'La morte e la fanciulla' at Fondazione Volume!

The exhibition 'La morte e la fanciulla' at Fondazione Volume! in Rome features twenty drawings by Japanese artist Mutsuo Hirano (Hyogo, 1952) and black-and-white works by German artist Thomas Lange (Berlin, 1957). The duo, partners in both art and life, created many pieces collaboratively, including sketches on loose sheets placed on the floor for visitors to walk on. The show takes its title from a poem by Matthias Claudius, set to music by Schubert, whose symphony plays in the background. Curated by Davide Sarchioni, the installation uses uniform neon lighting that, while coherent with the dramatic concept, eliminates the atmospheric depth of previous exhibitions, creating a sense of estrangement. White ceramic skulls appear as didactic devices signaling the transition between death and rebirth. The only chromatic note among the black-and-white panels is an image of Saint Rosalia, which fails to enliven the overall dialogue, as the leitmotif of death prevails. The exhibition invites visitors to ponder whether the dense theoretical construction preserves the contemplative dimension that has characterized Volume! in recent years.