Ugo Marano's 'Le Stanze dell’Utopia' at MADRE Napoli

The MADRE museum in Naples presents 'Le Stanze dell’Utopia', a retrospective of Ugo Marano (1943–2011), an Italian artist who defined himself as a 'radical conceptual utopian'. The exhibition, curated by Valeria Carnevali, explores Marano's fusion of conceptual art with craft and poetry. Works include 'Arrugginibile' (1976), 'Signore sedie' (1979–82) — miniature terracotta chairs — and curved tables evoking shared meals. Marano's chairs, never comfortable like sofas, symbolize home as an extension of the soul. Later works like 'L’uomo nuovo' (1998) and ceramic vases from the 2000s blend conceptualism with Transavanguardia aesthetics. The exhibition also features Marano's poems displayed alongside sculptures, creating a synesthetic counterpoint. The show runs at MADRE in Naples.