Remake of 1978 Mario Merz Exhibition Opens at Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome

Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome is hosting a remake of a pioneering 1978 exhibition originally held at Galleria dell'Oca, which juxtaposed works by Mario Merz with those of earlier Italian modernists Balla, Carrà, de Pisis, Morandi, Savinio, and Severini. The original show, curated by Luisa Laureati, Luciano Pistoi, and Gian Enzo Sperone, initially planned as two separate exhibitions, was merged at the last moment, creating a provocative mix of Arte Povera and early 20th-century painting. The remake allows viewers to experience one of the first instances of such cross-generational dialogue, predating the postmodern paradigm theorized by Lyotard in 1979. The exhibition also highlights the aporia within Arte Povera, as seen in Merz's work, which contrasts science and technology (numbers, neon) with nature and primordial symbols (igloo, reptile). The show runs from November 29, 2022, to February 26, 2023.