Tommaso Pincio on Unrealized Ideas and the Future as a Cloud
In an interview for the series Futuro Antico on Artribune, writer and painter Tommaso Pincio discusses his fascination with unrealized or unrealizable ideas. He describes a long-planned project to inventory paintings appearing in porn films, conceived as an irreverent revisitation of Aby Warburg's Mnemosyne Atlas, which he doubts will ever be completed. Pincio, who lives and works in Rome, sees his books as portraits or self-portraits conceived as installations where place is essential, a perspective shaped by his training in set design and years as a gallerist. He recounts a performance at a biennial in Prizren, Kosovo, four years ago, where he threatened to destroy 49 portraits by throwing them into a children's inflatable pool; visitors took photos instead of intervening. On the future, he imagines it as a mysterious cloud that hides the sky, a concept he has long considered for a novel. Pincio warns young artists not to fear solitude. The interview was conducted by Ludovico Pratesi.
Key facts
- Tommaso Pincio is a writer and painter based in Rome.
- He has published novels including 'M.' (1999), 'Un amore dell’altro mondo' (2002), and 'Diario di un’estate marziana' (2022).
- He collaborates with Rolling Stone, il manifesto, and Il Venerdì di Repubblica.
- Pincio plans an inventory of paintings appearing in porn films, inspired by Aby Warburg's Mnemosyne Atlas.
- He considers the project likely to remain unfinished.
- He sees his books as installations where place is crucial, influenced by his set design diploma and experience as a gallerist.
- Four years ago, at a biennial in Prizren, Kosovo, he performed a piece threatening to destroy 49 portraits in a children's pool.
- He imagines the future as a mysterious cloud hiding the sky, a concept for a novel.
- His advice to young artists: do not fear solitude.
- The interview is part of the Futuro Antico series on Artribune, conducted by Ludovico Pratesi.
Entities
Artists
- Tommaso Pincio
- Ludovico Pratesi
- Aby Warburg
Institutions
- Artribune
- Rolling Stone
- il manifesto
- Il Venerdì di Repubblica
- Cronopio
- Einaudi
- Fazi
- minimum fax
- Laterza
- il Saggiatore
- Perrone
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Prizren
- Kosovo