Beginning May 12, Bologna's MAMbo museum will host "Autoritratti. Iscrizioni del femminile nell'arte italiana contemporanea" (Self-portraits: female inscriptions in Italian contemporary art) a new, collective exhibition that takes an in-depth look at the work of Italian and non-Italian artists over the last decades.
The exhibition's main theme, developed by Uliana Zanetti and female members of the museum's staff, is the relationship women have with art in Italy. Unlike some countries, in the late '60s and early '70s, Italy did not have a strong feminist artistic movement. Nevertheless, numerous interesting projects were inspired by feminism and gender differences.
The research undertaken for this exhibition has resulted in a series of works created by both established and emerging young artists. Moreover, a lively debate regarding the show's salient themes has emerged involving female artists, critics and directors from other museums (e.g., the Mart and Museion). Various related initiatives and opportunities for discussion have grown out of this debate, including additional exhibitions and seminars aimed at deepening the relationship between female art and contemporary society.
An ongoing and open discussion of these issues can be found on Facebook at: http://goo.gl/DGbyd.
For more information, visit www.mambo-bologna.org
(Maria Lai, I racconti del lenzuolo, 1984 - sewn canvas, 170 x 300 cm. Courtesy Provincia di Sassari. Photo: Marco Ceraglia)