BURRI COME BURRI
WORKS BY ALBERTO BURRI
curated by Francesco Gallo Mazzeo
May 3 - June 30, 2019
Apart from the major exhibition at the Capodimonte Museum in 1978 and the display of some works at the Lia Rumma Gallery in the late 1990s, Naples has not hosted any solo exhibitions by Alberto Burri, which makes this event even more significant. It marks the opening of the exhibition cycle at the JUS Museum, the law office of Olindo Preziosi, which now houses a new contemporary art gallery under the artistic direction of Marcello Palminteri.
The exhibition features several key works from the Cellotex series, created between the 1970s and 1990s, alongside an important Cretto Nero from 1979. Also on display are two 1950 drawings, which foreshadow Burri’s shift toward abstraction. A section of the exhibition is dedicated to Burri’s graphic works, which are just as essential as his paintings, as he was one of the few artists to consistently experiment with techniques that later influenced his painting.
Alberto Burri is undoubtedly the creator of works that were groundbreaking and unprecedented, yet rooted in a tradition of the new—original, grand, and monumental. He has become a classic in the history of modern art, occupying a key position in contemporary art, alongside Fontana and Manzoni. Together, they represent the experimental spirit and the continuous desire to explore new territories that exist between painting and architecture, where Burri’s use of humble materials takes on symbolic and emblematic meaning.
The exhibition also presents the multimedia video installation "U/TOPIA (For Alberto Burri)" by Annalaura di Luggo. This sensory and emotional journey through the Grande Cretto of Gibellina is filtered through the imaginative lens and visual experimentation of the Neapolitan artist.
