Psychoanalyst Massimo Ammaniti on art, body, and the sacred

Born in Rome in 1941, Massimo Ammaniti is an esteemed Italian psychoanalyst and child neuropsychiatrist, serving as an Honorary Professor at La Sapienza University. He has penned notable works such as 'Adolescenti senza tempo' (2018) and 'Il corpo non dimentica' (2020). In a recent interview, he draws inspiration from Fayum portraits, Renaissance artists, and Lucian Freud, highlighting the theme of bodily imperfection. A significant aspect of his career includes involvement in the 1960s anti-institutional movement spearheaded by Franco Basaglia, during which he shut down a children's ward at a psychiatric hospital in Rome. His forthcoming book, 'Passoscuro. La mia vita tra i bambini del Padiglione 8,' set for release in September, addresses memory, the mind-body relationship, and the dangers of a technocratic future.