The Italian Cultural Institute of Prague has opened the exhibition “Gabriele Basilico. Rome” to the public. The exhibition is promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with MUFOCO – Museum of Contemporary Photography and the Gabriele Basilico Archive, under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Prague. With a selection of 60 works ranging from Basilico’s early projects in the 1980s to his most recent works, and from the black and white photography that made him famous to his experiments with colour, the exhibition – open to the public until 3 May – offers a unique perspective on Gabriele Basilico’s visual research and his connection with Rome. The celebrated Italian photographer undertook twenty professional assignments in Rome between 1985 and 2011.
Curated by Matteo Balduzzi from MUFOCO and Giovanna Calvenzi from the Gabriele Basilico Archive, the exhibition follows a broadly chronological order, retracing the key moments in Basilico’s photographic exploration of Rome.
“Gabriele Basilico. Rome” has arrived in Prague as its first international stop following its success at the National Roman Museum – Palazzo Altemps.
The opening event featured speeches by the Italian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Mauro Marsili, the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute, Marialuisa Pappalardo, the Director of MUFOCO, Gabriella Guerci, curator Matteo Balduzzi, and Gianni Nigro, Head of the Gabriele Basilico Archive. The curators highlighted the deep connection between Rome and Basilico’s artistic research, noting that “some of the elements that fascinated Basilico the most reach their pinnacle in the Capital: the layering of different eras and styles, the coexistence of heterogeneous elements, the interplay between monumental landmarks and the ordinary urban fabric, the play of volumes, and the balance between full and empty spaces”.
