Artist Renata Rampazzi and art historian Claudio Strinati have teamed up to open this new art exhibition at the Carlo Bilotti Museum in Rome.
Though the artwork is abstract, it calls attention to a very concrete problem that afflicts modern society: violence against women.
The exhibition is called Cruor, Latin for “blood.” The word refers specifically to blood that flows, as when the body is violated or wounded.
CLAUDIO STRINATI
“Cruor” Organizer
“The word 'cruor,' thus, has a heavily tragic, violent, very strong connotation. In fact, the exhibition is, essentially, a denunciation of the aggression women bear and of the terribly cruel mistreatment inflicted upon them. It's a problem that's always existed, but today it's reemerged even more strongly.”
The first part of the exhibition contains paintings made by the artist in the 80s, portraying wounds and lacerations. The violent splashes of the different shades of red reflect the artist's own revulsion toward the harsh torment experienced by many women.
Visitors can then make their way through a long hallway with this collection of oil on canvas drafts leading up to the final room. (((Insert hallway shot with music. Ask me if you have questions.)))
At the end of the visit, 36 pieces of gauze—a material for tending wounds—painted with powders and pigment mixtures hang from the ceiling. This shift in materials allows also for a shift in mood.
RENATA RAMPAZZI
Artist
“While I was painting the gauze, everything changed. Violence become profound sadness. It turned into pain.”
The accompanying music adds to the emotional weight of the visit, which is more than purely visual.
RENATA RAMPAZZI
Artist
“I want spectators, visitors, when they enter this room, to really relate, to experience the violence that has impacted and continues to impact so many women, even more strongly today. I want them to become participants, to be immersed in this.”
The exhibition in Rome will be open to the public until Jan. 10, 2021. Health safety measures are in place.
CT
