Immortal – Gino De Dominicis Expo in MAXXI
Gino de Dominicis was an Italian artist obsessed with immortality and the unseen, that’s to say, things which are able to transcend the earthly and human realm. He has become an invisible artist, whose presence is only manifested in his work, in the here and now. Always absent, he avoided the press at all costs and refused to give permission for his work to be reproduced in photographs, so it is quite hard to find photographic material documenting his work.
His obsession with the ethereal and metaphysical realm reached such extremes that at his exhibitions the works themselves reserved the right to remain anonymous, as in general they did not bear titles or other data that would help the viewer to categorize and pigeonhole the works, albeit minimally. De Dominicis, and his art, until now, have been shrouded in mystery. His artistic interventions made use of different types mediums and techniques, and included work on wood, paper, canvas, sculpture and installations. Another key part of his broad language of art, besides his remarkable fascination for the human figure, is his reference to characters from epics like Gilgamesh, the Sumerian king seeking immortality, or Urvashi, the Hindu handmaiden of the gods.
De Dominicis, unfortunately, was never able to overcome his own death. He died prematurely in 1998, leaving behind a great and inspiring legacy, a strong picture that pays tribute to the beautiful, esoteric, secret world beyond the palpable.
The “The Immortal” at the newly minted MAXXI in Rome presents the first and most comprehensive retrospective of this extraordinary artist’s works, and visitors can enjoy it until 7 November. The exhibit will explore more than 130 works which delve passionately into themes such as immortality, metamorphosis, evolution, the invisible, the anti natural, and that magical time suspended between past and future.
Rent apartments in Rome and discover the great mysteries of this fascinating artist.
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