Renato Leotta's 'MONDO' at Palazzo Biscari Reunites Ancient Artifacts After 87 Years

After 87 years, artifacts from the Biscari Museum return to Palazzo Biscari in Catania for Renato Leotta's exhibition 'MONDO. Museo archeologico del reale,' curated by Pietro Scammacca and Claudio Gulli, open until August 31. The show is part of Unfold's contemporary art project, following Gian Maria Tosatti's solo show and a selection from the Sandretto Re Rebaudengo collection. Leotta's museography blends his works with ancient artifacts, exploring the museum as a device that invents Nature. The exhibition includes a section on the Sky with watercolors of classical deities, manuscripts by Prince Ignazio, and 'Gipsoteca'—Leotta's sculptures from lunar cycles. In the ballroom, ancient marbles, Attic and Siceliot vases, Roman bronzes, Mexican ceramics, and glass are paired with taxidermied birds from the University of Catania's Zoology Museum, suggesting the palace as a giant aviary. A headless Egyptian basalt bust used as a magical statuette is a highlight. The Etna section features eruption traces and volcanic bombs from the Ecomuseo Riviera dei Ciclopi. The water section includes 'Fiumi,' 16mm films shot by Leotta at archaeological and industrial sites between Sicily and Rome. The exhibition reinterprets the 18th-century Wunderkammer, involving Catania's cultural institutions to revive the legacy of Prince Ignazio Moncada.