Robert Polidori
The exhibition will feature large-scale, color photographs depicting ancient frescoes found in the archaeological sites of Pompeii and Oplontis. These works perpetuate Polidori's longstanding exploration of the psycho-emotional aspects of architecture and interior spaces. His way of photographing implies a profound connection with these places steeped in memory.
Depicted in many of the images of the series is the Villa of the Mysteries, a remarkably well-preserved mansion on the outskirts of the city of Pompeii, famous for its frescoes dating from 70-60 BCE and restored between 2013 and 2015. These works are among the best known of the few surviving ancient Roman paintings and depict a young woman as she is introduced to Dionysian rituals.
Using a large-format camera Polidori makes "pictorial" and detailed images to scale. Through his gaze, rooms imbued in history become metaphors for states of mind and also render aspects of the psychology of those who inhabited them. The decorative and aesthetic details are traces that evoke the imagery of past cultures.