Reversing the Eye: Photography, Film, and Video in the Arte Povera Era at Triennale Milano

Over 250 vintage works by 49 artists are on view at Triennale Milano in 'Reversing the Eye. Fotografia, film e video negli anni dell’arte povera', a collaboration with Jeu de Paume and Le BAL. Curated by Quentin Bajac, Diane Dufour, Giuliano Sergio, and Lorenza Bravetta, the exhibition spans the long decade from the 1960s to the late 1970s, offering a broad cross-section of Italian art rather than focusing solely on Arte Povera. The show opens with Piero Manzoni's 'Socle du monde' and two films dedicated to him, followed by a section on Fabio Mauri featuring Pasolini's films on his own shirt. Works range across film, photography, performance documentation, and books. While Arte Povera protagonists are present, the exhibition also highlights peripheral figures like Franco Vaccari, Laura Grisi, Claudio Parmiggiani, and Ugo Mulas, whose documentary photos include those on Fontana and 'Campo urbano' (1969), as well as 'Le Verifiche'. A dedicated space explores Carlo Alfano. The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections—Body, Experience, Image, and Theater—allowing visitors to navigate freely. Photographers Mario Cresci, Luigi Ghirri, and Mimmo Jodice are also featured, their works possessing an autonomy that changed the history of the image in Italy.