The Italian Cultural Institute of Madrid presented the exhibition “Dietro l’opera” (Behind the Work), dedicated to Giulio Paolini (Genoa, 1940) and Luca Bertolo (Milan, 1968), one of the main artists of the new avant-garde of the second half of the 20th century, in dialogue with one of the most important Italian painters of today.
The exhibition, curated by Elena Volpato, Curator of the GAM in Turin, is produced by the Italian Cultural Institute of Madrid, under the aegis of the Italian Embassy in Spain, with the collaboration of the GAM – Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Torino and the Fondazione Torino Musei.
The opening was attended by the acting Director of the Italian Cultural Institute, Susi Baldasseroni, as well as Teodora Danisi, Cultural Councillor of the Italian Embassy in Madrid; the curator Elena Volpato of the GAM of Turin; Angela Benotto, Director of External Relations and International Activities of the Fondazione Torino Musei; Bettina Della Casa, Director of the Fondazione Giulio; Anna Paolini and the artist Luca Bertolo. The public present, including artists, gallery owners and professionals, showed great interest and enthusiasm for the fascinating itinerary, which presented for the first time in Spain an exhibition by Giulio Paolini in dialogue with Luca Bertolo.
The exhibition, which can be visited until 10 May, presents seventeen works: installations, paintings and conceptual works, created between 1963 and 2024, which lead us to continuously questioning ourselves on the reflective nature of art and the poetic, conceptual and expressive space that lies “behind the work”, revealing its most elusive dimension.
The exhibition is divided into three parts that explore some of the aspects of contact between the two artists: the relationship between the two sides of the canvas, the ambiguous image status of the flag and the representation of absence.
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue, published by Allemandi, with texts by the artists and the curator.
