Testuale: Word Games of Great Contemporary Artists in Vasto

The exhibition 'Testuale' at Sangallo Fine Art in Vasto revisits a landmark 1979 Milan show curated by Luciano Caramel and Flavio Caroli. Curated by Lorenzo Madaro, the current iteration features Alighiero Boetti, Mario Ceroli, Emilio Isgrò, Salvo, and Ben Vautier—except Ceroli, who was absent from the original. The 1979 edition, held at the late Baroque Rotonda di via Besana, was an international survey of conceptual, verbo-visual, and concrete poetry experiments. Forty years later, Sangallo Fine Art presents works that explore the physical and material aspects of text, deconstructing meaning to emphasize sound, structure, and visibility. Boetti's small Afghan tapestries blend multiculturalism and irony; Isgrò's conceptual cancellations highlight verbo-visual evolution; Ceroli's raw wood pieces articulate a 'visual lexicon'; Salvo's ironic, narrative tombstones amplify conceptual depth; and Vautier's irreverent Fluxus verses question art and life. The exhibition underscores how these artists challenge conventional traditions, opening new possibilities for expression.