Francesco Vezzoli | Mimmo Jodice
Damnatio memoriae
5 July — 8 August, 2023
Studio Trisorio Capri
Francesco Vezzoli encounters the gaze of Mimmo Jodice and places his extremely personal interpretation of History into dialogue with that of the master photographer and his iconic images of archaeological finds.
Most notably, Vezzoli has chosen to draw an analogy with Jodice's photograph of l’Amazzone da Ercolano (The Amazon from Herculaneum) because, as he stated: «It is proof that the beauty of antiquity persists even when the archaeological find has been scarred, mutilated or, in some way, compromised».
Vezzoli uses History as a repertoire of icons, models and narratives to critically reflect upon the present and examine themes as diverse as power, fame and sexuality.
In staging the Capri exhibition, designed by Filippo Bisagni, to the proud warrior, the protagonist of Jodice's photograph, is offset by two seventeenth and eighteenth century, marble busts - modified by Vezzoli - of the Roman emperor Caracalla, a greedy and narcissistic strategist who, in order to assert himself, was even capable of condemning the memory of his relatives to oblivion.
In contrast, the gallery showcases host an installation of Vezzoli's posters of some of the best-known films of the peplum movies genre, reminiscent of the atmosphere of vintage movie theaters.
We would like to thank the Vistamare gallery for their collaboration.