Associazione Genesi is dedicating an exhibition to the theme of oppression in the work of Fabio Mauri (Rome, 1926–2009), one of the most important figures of the Italian avant-garde post-World War II. This exhibition marks the beginning of the celebrations for his centenary, which will fall in 2026. “Fabio Mauri. De Oppressione” is being held in Milan, where the artist spent a long time and remained deeply connected.
Mauri deserves the significant credit for having anticipated, as early as the late 1960s, the dramatic theme of oppression in its possible typological, chronological, and geographical declinations. For this reason, the exhibition at Triennale Milano will focus on a core of iconic works created between the late 1960s and the 2000s. These works highlight the artist's profound relevance through the centrality of the theme of oppression, particularly in its implications related to culture, identity, and ideology. They explore how, throughout history and across different geographical contexts, these three concepts have become sources of oppression. Mauri was an artist capable of interrogating the "short century" and its contradictions, between memory, ideology, and the power of images.
During the exhibition, guided tours, workshops, and educational meetings will be offered, co-organized by Genesi together with its sponsoring institutions, including Università Cattolica, FAI, Gariwo – the Forest of the Righteous, and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation Italy. These activities, designed for audiences of all ages, will provide tools not only for interpreting Mauri’s poetics but also for exploring the universal themes it addresses, reaffirming the association’s commitment to combining art, critical reflection, and collective participation.
The first event of the public program will take place on Wednesday, December 10, at 6:00 PM and will feature Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, president of the scientific committee of the Fabio Mauri Studio and curator of the general catalogue, published by Allemandi and Hatje Cantz, whose digital version will be presented for the first time on this occasion.
The online catalogue raisonné was conceived and produced by Studio Fabio Mauri – Associazione per l’Arte L’Esperimento del Mondo and the Estate of Fabio Mauri. The printed catalogue raisonné is produced by MAMbo - Museo d'Arte Moderna di Bologna of Settore Musei Civici del Comune di Bologna together with Studio Fabio Mauri – Associazione per l’Arte L’Esperimento del Mondo, and supported by the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture under the Italian Council program (14th edition, 2025), with the aim of promoting Italian contemporary art internationally.