Mario Merz. Unreal City

The exhibition curated by Bartolomeo Pietromarchi in collaboration with the Merz Foundation pays tribute to Mario Merz and his work. He was one of the most influential artists on the global scene in the second half of the 20th century. His work, from its origins to its maturity, and his role in shaping the Arte Povera movement will be the focus of the exhibition. This was conceived as an ideal homage of the artist to Venice, the most unreal of cities, a metaphysical place where nature and culture blend perfectly with one another. The curatorial thesis wishes to address the themes of space and environmental sustainability, and creates a tension between ethics and politics that suggests the idea of a society which is shared and participated by all. The artist’s work is particularly relevant to the themes of the 2015 Milan Expo, which is the ideal framework to present Mario Merz’s incredibly current message.