Victor Man's '1837, Abbozzo per un Autoritratto' at Sant'Andrea de Scaphis, Rome
Victor Man, a Romanian artist born in 1974 in Cluj, showcases his solo exhibition '1837, Abbozzo per un Autoritratto' at the Sant'Andrea de Scaphis church in Rome, a site no longer used for worship, marking his first return in eight years. This exhibition, which runs in 2021, transforms the venue into a surreal pagan temple. The title alludes to a dream experienced by painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres on August 4–5, 1837. It features eight paintings created between 2008 and 2021, including five reinterpretations of Old Masters. Two prominent pieces are 'Not yet titled' (2021) and 'Untitled (Adieu à Satan)' (2020). Alessandro Rabottini, who curated Man's 'Un altro aprile' at Villa Medici in 2013, oversaw this exhibition.
Key facts
- Victor Man's exhibition '1837, Abbozzo per un Autoritratto' is held at Sant'Andrea de Scaphis, a deconsecrated church in Rome.
- The title refers to a dream of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres on the night of August 4–5, 1837, in Rome.
- Eight paintings from 2008 to 2021 are displayed, five of which reinterpret works by Giovanni di Paolo, Sassetta, Giovanni di Pietro, Fra Angelico, and Roelant Savery.
- The paintings are in dark, bluish tones without direct lighting.
- Two large works: 'Not yet titled' (2021) shows the church door locked with a padlock; 'Untitled (Adieu à Satan)' (2020) reproduces the cover of 'Adieu Satan' by Ernest von Gengenbach.
- Ernest von Gengenbach was a monk and occultist close to French surrealists, calling himself 'the first surrealist Satanist' and admiring André Breton.
- Man previously represented Romania at the 2007 Venice Biennale.
- His earlier Rome solo show 'Un altro aprile' was at Villa Medici in 2013, curated by Alessandro Rabottini.
Entities
Artists
- Victor Man
- Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
- Giovanni di Paolo
- Sassetta
- Giovanni di Pietro
- Fra Angelico
- Roelant Savery
- Ernest von Gengenbach
- André Breton
- Alessandro Rabottini
- Ludovico Pratesi
Institutions
- Sant'Andrea de Scaphis
- Villa Medici
- Accademia di Francia
- Gladstone Gallery
- Biennale di Venezia
- Artribune
- Il Messaggero
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Cluj
- Romania
- Venice