Natascia Abbattista's 'Riunione di condominio' at Casa Vuota, Rome

At Casa Vuota in Rome, Natascia Abbattista (Varese, 1977) presents 'Riunione di condominio', an exhibition running until December 31. The first room features an installation of six chairs—only one usable—inviting visitors to sit and listen to a reconstructed condominium meeting assembled from voice notes sent by friends. The conversation hints ambiguously at transporting a body, a decontextualization of everyday snippets. The chairs are covered with nails, needles, daisies, and marshmallows, referencing American pop culture's obsession with death and horror. A dollhouse displays a crime scene, with a miniature TV playing a thriller-like video by the artist. The real apartment opposite Casa Vuota, with lights on and curtains open, becomes an unintended part of the show, framed by Abbattista's spotlight. Two hallway walls are covered with watercolor identikits of serial killers: Ed Gein, Cianciulli (who made soap from victims' fat), Andrei Chikatilo, Franco Percoco, and Angelo Izzo. In the dark last room, the song 'Eternità' by Camaleonti plays from inside a refrigerator, echoing the 1970s backdrop of serial murders.