Greetings! Let's go back to talking about art and exhibition spaces accessible to us, and we do so with an exhibition dedicated to the genius of Pablo Picasso, entitled PASION PICASSO, which is held until 14 January 2024 at the State Archives of Naples (*).
You might say, an art exhibition in an archive? In the meantime, we report the introductory note found on the Archive website: The State Archives of Naples is a peripheral office of the Ministry of Culture. It provides for the conservation, protection and promotion of documentary heritage and encourages its use by scholars and citizens. Founded in 1808, the State Archives of Naples have been located since 1845 in the monumental complex of SS. Severino and Sossio, one of the most important and ancient centers of Benedictine spirituality in Southern Italy. With its four floors and its deposits of over seventy linear kilometers of documents, the Neapolitan Archive represents an essential point of reference for research in the sector of the medieval, modern and contemporary history of Italy and Europe; as well as specifically, of the history of Southern Italy.
As for the exhibition, it must be said that with the direction of Dr. Candida Carrino the opening of the Archive to a wider audience than that of scholars has begun, and this exhibition is an example of this. Below is the presentation found on the Ministry of Culture website: Pablo Picasso's masterpieces come to life in an immersive exhibition at the State Archives of Naples, from 14 October 2023 to 14 January 2024. Seventy years have passed since 1953, when, with a side of controversy and political clashes, two anthological exhibitions of Pablo Picasso took place, first at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome, and subsequently, at Palazzo Reale in Milan. The collection donated by the heirs of Senator Eugenio Reale, who at the time was an advisor to Palmiro Togliatti on foreign policy and cultural issues, is kept in the State Archives of Naples. It was he who tenaciously wanted these exhibitions to be held, cajoled and convinced the rebellious artist and the bumpy path that led to the finish line is testified to by the documents preserved in the Archive. Furthermore, this year also marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of the great Malagueño painter, who knew how to intertwine aesthetics and politics, today the protagonist of the official international events of the great joint project of the Governments of Spain, France and Italy "Picasso Celebration. 1973-2023”.
The immersive exhibition "Pasión Picasso" is included in this category, which has as its promoter the State Archives of Naples - Ministry of Culture - and stages its monumental structures in Piazzetta Grande Archivio, in the setting of the Benedictine Convent of Santi Severino and Sossio. The exhibition presents the documents, letters and notes of Senator Reale which narrate the excited story of the two Italian exhibitions of 1953, the first institutional ones dedicated to Picasso, opposed by the conservatism of the government majority and then, obtorto collo, also celebrated by those who he objected. The central position of the State Archives in the ancient city, a stone's throw from San Gregorio Armeno, and the completely free visit make it an unmissable stop in a key period of tourism in Naples. Thanks to digital projections and augmented reality technology with Oculus viewers it will be possible to immerse yourself in Picasso's works and enjoy an unforgettable artistic journey. Almost like feeling Picasso and his evocative symbolisms on you. Among the virtual works that can be admired will be some of the famous masterpieces of the Spanish genius, present in the most famous museums in the world, such as "Guernica"; “War and Peace” and “Massacre in Korea”. Let's then begin to take a look at the building that houses the State Archives and the Piazzetta del Grande Archivio, which it overlooks, with the splendid Fontana della Selleria:
Once through the entrance, with a small step, we take the lift to the second floor, where we cross the Chiostro del Platano (Cloister of the Plain Tree):
From the Chiostro del Platano you enter the room where the exhibition is hosted; before viewing the projected video images of Picasso's works, let's take a look at some of the Renaissance frescoes that decorate the walls at the entrance to the room:
Before delving into viewing the images projected in the space dedicated to the exhibition, you may be intrigued by the materials (postcards, photos, letters, etc.) displayed on the noticeboards in the first gallery.
And here we are finally with the images of some of Picasso's most famous works, taken during the video screening:
We close this review with the poster of the 1953 Picasso exhibition in Milan and we give you an appointment at future exhibitions that will be held in the State Archives of Naples:
(*) symbol indicating the presence of toilets equipped for disabled people