Zerocalcare's 'Dopo il botto' Exhibition at Fabbrica del Vapore

The exhibition 'Zerocalcare. Dopo il botto' at Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan showcases over 500 panels from the Italian cartoonist, exploring themes of social critique, biography, and collective trauma. Born Michele Rech in 1983 in Arezzo, Zerocalcare grew up in France and moved to Rome for high school. His career began after embracing punk-underground philosophy, with the 2001 G8 protests in Genoa catalyzing his turn to activist art. The show features a life-sized comic strip set in a post-apocalyptic Rebibbia, intimate biographical sections, and a macro-section dedicated to his reportage on Kurdish resistance and social justice. Highlights include preparatory blue pencil sketches, protest posters, and the 'Santi Protettori' series. The exhibition traces his evolution from underground pamphlets to Netflix series 'Strappare lungo i bordi' (2022), cementing his role as a generational voice.