The Uncanny House: 18 Artists Transform Goethe's Roman Residence

Curated by Ilaria Marotta and Andrea Baccin, 'The Uncanny House' is a group exhibition featuring 18 international artists at the Casa di Goethe in Rome, where the writer resided from 1886 to 1888. This show delves into the eerie aspects of domestic environments through contributions from artists such as Mathis Altmann, Dora Budor, and Marina Xenofontos, among others. The Casa di Goethe has a haunting past, having been the site of two couples' suicides and later serving as a refuge for a Jewish individual during World War II. Drawing inspiration from the uncanny (Unheimlich) concept explored by Ernst Jentsch and Sigmund Freud, the installation includes various unsettling elements, creating a labyrinthine experience. Museum director Gregor H. Lersch remarked on Goethe's fascination with humanity's darker aspects, as reflected in works like Faust.