When Literature Meets Art. One Hundred Years of Italo Calvino at Scuderie del Quirinale. Arte. it
Rome — One hundred years after Italo Calvino was born, an exhibition celebrates the writer and his link between literature and art at the Scuderie del Quirinale. Via Arte.it
Immerse yourself in the fusion of literature and art at the Scuderie del Quirinale in honor of the centenary of the renowned Italian writer Italo Calvino.
Italo Calvino was one of the greatest Italian writers of the twentieth century, capable of exploring themes of history, society, science, and art imaginatively and rigorously. This year marks the centenary of his birth. He was born in Cuba on October 15, 1923, where his parents worked as agronomists. On this important anniversary, the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Calvino under the title “When Literature Meets Art. One Hundred Years of Italo Calvino”.
The exhibition **When Literature Meets Art. Centenary of Italo Calvino** at the Scuderie del Quirinale is a homage to the Italian writer who knew how to create fantastic worlds with his words. The exhibition, organized by Ales SpA / Scuderie del Quirinale in collaboration with Electa, is curated by Mario Barenghi, professor emeritus of Italian literature at the University of Milan and a great expert on Calvino’s work.
It aims to trace Calvino’s creative path through his books and artworks that have been his inspiration. It is a visual journey through ten sections outlining the writer’s life, his choices, political and civic commitments, places, and, above all, how he produced and worked as a writer.
In addition, the collection presents over two hundred loans, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, and illustrations by artists from the Renaissance to the present day, as well as medieval illuminated manuscripts and tapestries. These works enter into a dialogue with Calvin’s texts, revealing their sources, inspirations, and affinities. Artworks included in the show are from prominent artists such as Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, Giorgio de Chirico, Luigi Serafini, Enrico Baj, Emilio Isgrò, Giuseppe Penone, and Eva Jospin.
The project builds on the idea that Calvino used art as a visual dimension to develop his narratives. The starting point is an image ‘born, who knows how’ — which he sometimes carries with him for years; little by little, a story begins to unfold from the picture, which gradually grows unexpected meanings and acquires meaning,” he wrote in a note to His Our Ancestors.
To honor Calvino’s artistic vision, the exhibition opens with a quote from his book Invisible Cities: “Cities, like dreams, are made of desires and fears.” A phrase that sums up the appeal of his works and their ability to take us on a journey of the imagination.
Attending the exhibition offers a one-of-a-kind chance to enter Calvino’s world and discover how literature can meet art in surprising and original ways. The show is scheduled to run from October through February at Rome’s Scuderie del Quirinale.
Why attend?
The exhibition traces the milestones of Calvino’s literary career, from his early neorealist works to his artistic maturity marked by formal and linguistic experimentation and the influence of the French Oulipo group.
As Calvino wrote, “A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” And as another great Italian writer, Umberto Eco, said, “Calvino is a classic.
It wants to pay homage to a writer who knew how to tell the story of his time with originality and intelligence. It is also a tribute to a writer who knew how to enter into a dialogue with other art forms and stimulate the creativity of his readers.
What is essential in a writer? Italo Calvino said in 1964 — Comment sent via Arte.it
“Biographical data: I am still one of those who believe, with Croce, that the only thing that counts is an author’s works. (If they matter, of course.) So I do not provide biographical information, offer it incorrectly, or try to change it occasionally. Instead, could you ask me what you want to know? I will tell you. But I will never tell you the truth; you can be sure of that.
(Italo Calvino, 1964)
Here you can find the article initially published by ⏩ Arte.it — ⏩ Quando La Letteratura Incontra L’Arte. Cento Anni di Italo Calvino Alle cuderie del Quirinale.
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