Six Art Books Illuminate Feminism, Photography, and Urban Culture
A collection of six recent Italian art books delves into themes of feminism, photography, and urban renewal. Angela Maderna's 'Non il potere ma la forza. Lea Vergine' (Electa, 2025, €12) examines the legacy of critic Lea Vergine (who passed away in 2020), highlighting her journey from the 1969 exhibition 'Irritarte' to 'L'altra metà dell'Avanguardia' in 1980. Edited by Carla Subrizi, 'Storia dell'arte e femminismo. Una questione aperta' (Electa, 2025, €32) compiles discussions from a 2024 conference at La Sapienza University. 'Almanacco. Napoli contemporanea 2023-2025', overseen by Vincenzo Trione (Electa, 2025, €45), chronicles Naples' contemporary art scene. Silvia Di Paolo's 'Paolo Di Paolo. Incontri impossibili' (Electa, 2025, €39) celebrates the centenary of the late photographer Paolo Di Paolo (died 2023). Guglielmo Manitta's 'Emilio Maza' (Il Convivio Editore, 2025, €20) reintroduces a 19th-century photographer, while Sofia Mattioli's 'Nan Goldin' (Electa, 2025, €12) focuses on the artist's activism.
Key facts
- Six art books published in 2025 by Electa and Il Convivio Editore
- Lea Vergine profile by Angela Maderna (Electa, €12)
- Vergine died in 2020 from COVID
- Vergine's first exhibition 'Irritarte' in 1969 at Galleria Milano
- Vergine curated 'L'altra metà dell'Avanguardia' in 1980
- Feminism conference volume edited by Carla Subrizi (Electa, €32)
- Conference held in winter 2024 at La Sapienza, Rome
- Naples contemporary art almanac edited by Vincenzo Trione (Electa, €45)
- Naples project commissioned by Mayor Gaetano Manfredi
- Artists in Naples project: Antonio Marras, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Francesco Vezzoli, Marinella Senatore, Gaetano Pesce, Mimmo Jodice, Marcello Jori, Jaume Plensa
- Paolo Di Paolo book edited by Silvia Di Paolo (Electa, €39)
- Di Paolo died in 2023 at age 98
- Di Paolo's first photo published in 'Il Mondo' in 1954
- Emilio Maza monograph by Guglielmo Manitta (Il Convivio Editore, €20)
- Maza's 'Album della Guerra del 1866' contains 58 photographs
- Nan Goldin book by Sofia Mattioli (Electa, €12)
- Goldin's exhibition at HangarBicocca
- Goldin's sister Barbara died by suicide at 19
- Goldin's early work 'The Ballad of Sexual Dependency'
Entities
Artists
- Lea Vergine
- Angela Maderna
- Carla Subrizi
- Vincenzo Trione
- Gaetano Manfredi
- Antonio Marras
- Michelangelo Pistoletto
- Francesco Vezzoli
- Marinella Senatore
- Gaetano Pesce
- Mimmo Jodice
- Marcello Jori
- Jaume Plensa
- Paolo Di Paolo
- Silvia Di Paolo
- Mario Pannunzio
- Emilio Maza
- Guglielmo Manitta
- Nan Goldin
- Sofia Mattioli
- Barbara Goldin
- Giulio Carlo Argan
- Carla Pellegrini
- Chiara Alessi
Institutions
- Electa
- Il Convivio Editore
- Galleria Milano
- La Sapienza University
- HangarBicocca
- Il Mondo
- Prearo
- Artribune
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Rome
- Milan
- Larino
- Campobasso
- England
- France
- Vienna
- Trieste
- Austrian Empire