RUE: 8 Artists Explore Ascoli's Mysterious Alleys at Officine Brandimarte

Officine Brandimarte, an independent space in Ascoli Piceno that grew from Ado Brandimarte's recovery of his grandfather's former carpentry workshop, now hosts RUE, a curated group exhibition featuring eight artists. Curated by Barbara Caterbetti and Valentina Muzi, the show draws inspiration from the city's rue—urban 'wrinkles' or narrow alleys with curious names tied to past families and professions—revealing Ascoli's esoteric and mysterious side beyond its medieval towers and palaces. The urban fabric of streets, gates, and bridges (notably Cecco d'Ascoli's Devil's Bridge, said to have been built in one night) serves as a metaphor for the artworks, each unveiling a small mystery. Marzio Zorio presents a sound piece composed of recordings from the alleys, which sets the rhythm for the exhibition, particularly for Mara Cucu's small circular paintings arranged like a clock without hands, freezing time for reflection. Alex Urso explores night as a moment of confrontation, while Laura Paoletti's work, inspired by Leopardi, uses night as inner dialogue. Alicya Ricciuto evokes ancient witchcraft rituals with mountain thistles, Alexandra Brînzac explores the subconscious with snail spirals on a carved hard pillow, and Maria Elena Ricciuto presents a red cube as a small sanctuary of the soul. Giorgia Mascitti reinterprets Vincenzo Pagani's 15th-century Virgin figures with deliberately childish strokes and plasticine frames, recalling the magic of childhood.