Il difficile è dimenticare ciò che si è visto per casa
(Ritratto di Pescara per caso)
a diffuse exhibition by Matteo Fato
curated by Simone Ciglia
Opening weekend
The Fondazione La Rocca is pleased to invite you to the opening weekend of Matteo Fato’s diffuse exhibition. After sixteen years, he returns to exhibit in his hometown with an articulated and diffuse project involving numerous places in the city of Pescara, museums and independent spaces, in dialogue with memory, art history and the urban and natural landscape
OPENING WEEKEND CALENDAR
Saturday 28 June 2025
6.00 p.m. – Fondazione La Rocca
Official opening
Central venue of the exhibition and heart of the project, the Foundation hosts an anthology of Fato’s work with new works, installations, videos, engravings and sculptures. At the same time, the new Project Space/FLR opens in a former fisherman’s shed: an immersive installation conceived as a Wunderkammer and work archive.
Sunday 29 June 2025
10.00 a.m. – Spazio Matta
Lecture by Gianni Garrera – Don’t paint in vain
The musical philologist will give a lecture that starts with an analysis of Balzac’s The Unknown Masterpiece and Leopardi’s The Infinite, and investigates the history of the dissolution of form in modern art, the conflict between creation and destruction, ecstasy of chaos and intelligence of the enigma. It recounts the detachment from imitation and the renunciation of Painting’s attention to Nature for the custody of the world. What is not represented fades away: Nature asks Painting not to be forgotten.
12.00 noon – Museo delle Genti d’Abruzzo
Site-specific intervention
The works dialogue with the exhibition sections dedicated to the material culture of the territory.
4.00 p.m. – Museo dell’Ottocento
Painting d’après and dialogue with the historical collection
A cycle of works born out of a direct comparison with 19th century masterpieces conserved in the museum.
6.30 pm – zerozerosullivellodelmare
Only for one evening
On show for the first time is a selection of works damaged by the flooding of the artist’s studio in 2019. A unique exhibition traversed by the theme of deterioration as sign and memory.
Special projects at the weekend
Pescara’s Canal Harbour: a sculpture-horse made of Maiella stone overlooks the sea.
Pescara riverfront: a 7-metre high sail made of rags used by the artist in his studio.
Pescara’s public spaces: artistic posters and a car with a loudspeaker broadcast a song recorded by Fato with Simone Ciglia.
Casa Flaiano: neon installation paying homage to Ennio Flaiano.
Editorial office of Segno: extraordinary opening and work on display.
Edicola di via L’Aquila: poster tribute in memory of Cesare Manzo.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an audio guide service in Italian and English, accessible both through QR codes and dedicated devices, created by eArs. Guiding visitors along the exhibition route will be directly the voices of the artist and the curator, for an immersive and engaging experience.
Matteo Fato is an artist and lecturer in Graphic Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Urbino. His work, including painting, engraving, sculpture, video and installation, has been presented in private galleries and public museums in Italy and abroad, including Mostyn (Llandudno, UK), the Pescheria Visual Arts Centre in Pesaro, the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche – Palazzo Ducale in Urbino. He participated in the 16th Quadriennale d’Arte and received several awards, including the Ermanno Casoli Prize and selection by the Dena Foundation for Contemporary Art as Italian artist in residence at ArtOmi (New York). His works can be found in public and private collections, including that of the Bank of Italy.
Matteo Fato is represented by the Monitor Gallery (Rome, Pereto, Lisbon).
Admission to the opening weekend events is free of charge. Throughout the exhibition period, access to museums is free for visitors who specify that they are there to visit Matteo Fato’s exhibition.
Duration of the exhibition: 1 July to 27 September 2025
