ANTONIO LIGABUE

From 11 November 2016 to 8 January 2017, the halls of the Complesso del Vittoriano – Ala Brasini in Rome welcome Antonio Ligabue (1899-1965): an exhibition dedicated entirely to the work of the tormented genius, who was born in German-speaking Switzerland but lived in Gualtieri on the banks of the Po, after being expelled from his homeland, from 1919 until his death. Self- taught, this visionary with his extraordinary abilities of metamorphosis reached the pictorial dimension of tragic expressionist, profoundly human and imbued with a visceral sensitivity that earned him his own identity and, after hard work and ostracism, recognition from art lovers and historians. Across approximately 100 works, the exhibition offers a historical and critical exploration of the relevance of the work of Ligabue, who is today one of the most interesting figures in twentieth- century art.

[photo: Antonio Ligabue, Black widow with bird, 1955-1956, private collection]