MARIO RACITI – OUTCROPS, OVERSHADOWS
September 17, 2023 – October 28, 2023
Paintings, 1962 – 2022
Curated by Veronica Zanardi
Critical essay by Sandro Parmiggiani
The Museo Butti | Contemporanea reopens with a new venue, the result of an important renovation of the historic residence of the sculptor from Viggiù, located on the second floor of Casa Butti. The museum’s new chapter opens on Saturday, September 16 at 5:30 PM, with a monographic exhibition dedicated to painter Mario Raciti, curated by newly appointed curator Veronica Zanardi, together with Sandro Parmiggiani, author of the critical essay in the inaugural issue of “I quaderni del Butti.” Parmiggiani, who has known the artist for forty years, has presented him in numerous anthological solo shows and recently edited the Catalogue Raisonné of Raciti’s painted works.
On view are thirteen carefully selected paintings on canvas and paper, spanning sixty years, from 1962 to 2022—a period in which enigmas and mysteries continue to intrigue and resurface. […] The richness of this work remains a source of inspiration and reflection, connecting with the traditions of painting and the conditions of life during the difficult times it has traversed and in which it came to life. […] Mario Raciti has been, for seventy years, a solitary traveler through the landscapes of painting, an explorer of distant horizons whose boundaries are never fully seen—visions resurfacing from memory and recesses, especially internal ones, into which he ventured fearlessly, with the lightness of a child. His works echo, suggest, and hint at something ancient that seems to have settled within them—a secret lifeblood that continues to nourish them, for Raciti, as already mentioned, is deeply versed in painting, literature, philosophy, and, last but not least, his beloved music. All these elements, along with life’s events, have contributed to shaping his “sentimental education.”
Moreover, the titles of the cycles he has developed—Presences-Absences, Mythologies, Mystery, Why, The Flowers of the Deep, One or Two Figures, Source—are in some way cryptic, if not openly oxymoronic, suggesting a possible duality of interpretation. The old Symbolist mole—so dearly loved by Raciti, who often claimed this spiritual kinship—has been digging steadily throughout the long years of his painting practice.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Mario Raciti is one of the foremost artists of Italian “meaningful abstraction.” He was born in Milan in 1934; his first exhibitions date back to the early 1950s. Since the early 1960s—after graduating in law and beginning a legal career—he devoted himself professionally to painting. His work has since evolved over more than half a century, sustained by an obsession typical of artists of all times: the urge to explore a world always open to the elsewhere, to the “beyond.” Since the 1960s, he has exhibited widely in private galleries across Italy and abroad. From emblematic figurations in the 1960s, to the Presences-Absences of the 1970s, the Mythologies of the 1980s, and the Mystery series of the 1990s, Raciti has held solo exhibitions at major institutions such as the Rome Quadriennale, the Venice Biennale, the PAC in Milan, Palazzo Magnani in Reggio Emilia, the Diocesan Museum in Milan, and MART in Rovereto. He also presented solo exhibitions at Casa del Mantegna in Mantua, “Découvertes ’92” in Paris, Palazzo Sarcinelli in Conegliano, the Cloister of San Domenico in Imola, Biblioteca Salita dei Frati in Lugano, the Morat Institut in Freiburg im Breisgau, MAG in Riva del Garda, La Permanente in Milan (with R. Casiraghi), and Palazzo del Broletto in Pavia (with M. De Maria), among others.
Since the 2000s, Raciti has developed a form of painting that confronts the problem of controversial resolutions, intensifying contradictions to infuse the image with dramatic as well as dreamlike force. Recent investigations include Crucifixions: Why, The Flowers of the Deep (where Proserpina, from the underworld, causes flowers to bloom on earth to communicate with her mother Demeter), and most recently One or Two Figures, where flowers become darts and unreachable embraces are evoked through their absence. In his latest works, the Sources, luminous and dark flows erupt from white backgrounds, enveloping figures and symbolic fragments in a powerful and definitive whirl.
MAIN EXHIBITIONS
Solo Exhibitions since 1970
2023: A latere, Masiero Studio, Milan / Awaiting Light, San Fedele Gallery and Museum, Milan
2022: Mario Raciti. The 2000s, Sarcinelli Palace, Conegliano / For a Collection, Monopoli Gallery, Milan
2021: 6 Painters at the Morone. Homage to Enzo Spadon, New Morone Gallery, Milan
2019: In Two, Blu di Prussia Gallery, Albissola Marina / Lines. Mario Raciti and Valdi Spagnulo, Arconati Villa, Castellazzo di Bollate / Olivieri, Raciti, Vago. Sign as Storytelling, Palmeri Gallery, Busto Arsizio
2018: L’Incontro Gallery, Chiari
2016: Broletto Palace (with M. De Maria), Pavia / MART – Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto (retrospective)
2015: Nature Beyond, MAG – Alto Garda Museum, Riva del Garda / Exhibition Spaces of Bocconi University, Milan / Generations in Dialogue (with R. Casiraghi), Permanente Museum, Milan
2014: San Carlo Gallery, Milan
2013: Morat Institute for Art and Art Science, Freiburg im Breisgau (retrospective) / Diocesan Museum, Milan (retrospective)
2012: The Flowers of the Depth, Orler Art Galleries, Favaro Veneto
2011: Elm Project Gallery, Milan / Edieuropa Gallery, Rome / Rafanelli Gallery, Genoa
2010: Villa Morotti Gallery, Daverio / Palmieri Gallery, Busto Arsizio / Pomini Villa, Castellanza / The Painting of the Unknown, Magnani Palace, Reggio Emilia
2008: Works from the Eighties, Morone Gallery, Milan
2006: Salita dei Frati Library, Lugano / Annunciata Space, Milan
2005: Moretto Gallery, Monticello Conte Otto / Works from the Seventies, Morone Gallery, Milan / Solaria Arte Gallery, Piacenza
2004: Pisani Villa, Bagnolo di Lonigo / G.B. Salvi International Art Exhibition, Sassoferrato / Rafanelli Gallery, Genoa
2003: L.A.B.A. – Free Academy of Fine Arts, Brescia
2002: Radium Artis Gallery, Reggio Emilia / L’Originale Gallery, Milan / Picasso Gallery, Merate / Il Bulino Gallery, Rome / San Fedele Gallery, Milan
2001: Carraresi House, Treviso / Martini Palace, Riva del Garda / Civic Space, Sarego / Cavenaghi Gallery, Milan / Frankfurt Westend Gallery, Frankfurt am Main
2000: Il Triangolo Nero (The Black Triangle), Alessandria / Liba Gallery, Pontedera
1999: Vega Space, Trento
1998: Civic Gallery, Suzzara / Saint Dominic’s Cloister, Imola
1997: Sarcinelli Palace, Conegliano / Sant’Elmo Center, Salò
1996: Cento Fiorini Gallery, Civitanova Alta
1995: Centenari Studio, Piacenza / Bambaia Gallery, Busto Arsizio
1994: Spaziotemporaneo Gallery, Milan / Morone Gallery, Milan
1993: Joannart Gallery, Vicenza / Lineart Art Fair, Ghent
1992: Spazia Gallery, Bologna / Lineart Art Fair, Ghent / Van Der Planken Gallery, Antwerp / Découvertes ’92, Grand Palais, Paris
1991: Reggiani Studio, Milan / La Colomba Gallery, Lugano / Contemporanea Gallery, Padua / Peola Gallery, Turin / Bambaia Gallery, Busto Arsizio / Il Sole Gallery, Bolzano
1990: Giulia Gallery, Rome / Sant’Apollonia Art Center, Venice / Cento Fiorini Gallery, Civitanova Marche / Il Triangolo Nero (The Black Triangle), Alessandria
1989: Peira Gallery, Bra
1988: PAC – Pavilion of Contemporary Art, Milan / Sant’Andrea Cultural Center, Savona
1987: Municipal Library, Cassano d’Adda / Morone 6 Gallery, Milan
1986: Aperto ’86, 42nd International Art Biennale, Venice / Bambaia Gallery, Busto Arsizio / The Primordial Image, Peira Gallery, Bra
1985: The Primordial Image (with Renata Boero and Nanni Valentini), Morone 6 Gallery, Milan / Rotta Gallery, Genoa
1984: Autarena Basilica, Fara Gera d’Adda / Montrasio Gallery, Monza
1983: Spriano Gallery, Omegna / Civic Gallery, Gallarate / Cento Fiorini Gallery, Civitanova Alta / Morone 6 Gallery, Milan
1982: Duchamp Gallery, Cagliari
1981: Annunciata Art Center, Milan
1980: Bergamini Gallery, Milan
1979: Von Braunbehrens Gallery, Munich / Editalia Gallery, Rome / Expo Arte, Fiera del Levante, Bari
1978: Weber Gallery, Turin / Forum Gallery, Trieste / Morone 6 Gallery, Milan / Numaga Gallery, Auvernier
1977: Schlegl Gallery, Zurich / Penna Gallery, Messina
1976: Atena Gallery, Meda / La Bussola Gallery, Turin / Bergamini Gallery, Milan / San Luca Gallery, Bologna
1974: Campanile Gallery, Bari / Spriano Gallery, Omegna / Morone 6 Gallery, Milan / Editalia Gallery, Rome
1973: San Benedetto Gallery, Brescia
1972: 4 Venti Gallery, Palermo
1971: Contini Gallery, Rome
1970: Annunciata Gallery, Milan / The Active Image, Mantegna House, Mantua / Morone 6 Gallery, Milan / Falchi Gallery, Milan
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Group exhibitions Since 1970
2023: “Homage to Scotellaro,” Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Rome
2017: Galleria Di Paolo, Bologna
2016: “Ode to Painting,” Palazzo Sarcinelli, Conegliano
2015: “In hoc signo,” BPL Lodi / “Ecce Homo, around Antonello,” Museo Alberoni, Piacenza / “Water Is – One Hundred Artists for One Planet,” Expo Venice, Venice
2014: “Born in the ’30s,” Palazzo della Permanente, Milan / “In Hoc signo,” Bipielle Arte Space, Lodi / “Black Fire,” around and after Burri, Scuderie Hall, Pilotta, Parma / “Earth Scenario,” MART, Rovereto
2012: “Cantiere del ‘900. Works from the Intesa Sanpaolo Collections,” Gallerie d’Italia, Milan / “At the End of the Night” (with Kate Kollwitz and Bernardì Roig), Galleria San Fedele, Milan
2011: “Rediscovered Paths of Italian Art. VAF-Stiftung 1947–2010,” MART, Rovereto / “From Figure to Figuration in 20th-Century Italy,” Palazzo Loredan, Venice
2010: “Pages from a Fantastic Bestiary. Italian Drawing in the 20th and 21st Centuries,” Galleria Civica, Modena / Galleria Progetto ELM, Milan
2009: Galleria Progetto ELM, Milan / “The National Academy of San Luca for a Contemporary Drawing Collection,” Accademia di San Luca, Rome
2008: “Art in Italy 1968–2008. Ten Painters,” IULM, Milan / “On the Trail of Licini,” Palazzo dei Capitani, Ascoli Piceno / “Art Paris,” Grand Palais, Paris / “Abstract Landscapes,” Frankfurter Westend Galerie, Frankfurt am Main / “Aniconic Painting,” Casa del Mantegna, Mantua
2007: “Six Italian Painters of the Late 20th Century,” Banca di Legnano per la Cultura, Legnano
2006: “Silence and Splendor of the Sign,” Civic Drawing Collection of Salò, Museo della Permanente, Milan / “Sensing with the Eyes,” Galleria San Fedele, Milan
2005: “The Italian Contemporary,” Italian Cultural Institute, Brussels / “24 Italian Artists of the Late 20th Century,” Banca di Legnano, Legnano
2004: “Drawing in Italian Art 1945–1975, from Morandi to Conceptual,” Fondazione Bandera, Busto Arsizio / “The Enchantment of Painting,” Casa del Mantegna, Mantua
2003: 8th Triennial of Engraving, Palazzo della Permanente, Milan
2002: “United We Win,” Studio Marconi, Milan / “National Painting Exhibition Città di Monza,” Monza / “Art in Milan Today in the Permanent Collection,” Casa di Raffaello, Urbino
2001: “Recent Works on Paper,” Galleria Bambaia, Busto Arsizio
2000: “Rémy Zaugg. Portrait of a Friend,” Musée Cantonal, Lausanne / “Epiphany,” Galleria Giulia, Rome /
“Stars,” Galleria Il Bulino, Rome
1999: “Art in Italy in the 1970s,” Erice / “20 Years of Galleria Centofiorini,” Church of Sant’Agostino, Civitanova Marche / “In Praise of Pastel,” Palazzo Sarcinelli, Conegliano / “The Colors of Light,” Palazzo Pretorio, Cittadella
1998: “Preview,” Palazzo Magnani, Reggio Emilia / “Palazzo Sarcinelli, 1988–1989,” Palazzo Sarcinelli, Conegliano / “Last Dreams of Osvaldo,” Galleria Centofiorini, Civitanova Alta / “Last Dreams of Osvaldo,” Galleria Spazia, Bologna
1997: “From Monet to Morandi: Landscapes of the Spirit,” Palazzo Sarcinelli, Conegliano
1996: “Painting and Music,” Circolo B. Brecht, Milan / “On Lightness,” Palazzo Ducale, Lucca / “Dialogues in the Form of Painting,” Palazzo Pisani, Lonigo
1995: “Paths of Abstraction,” Palazzo della Permanente, Milan / “Painting as Painting,” Palazzo Sarcinelli, Conegliano; then Antico Foro Boario and Cloister of San Domenico, Reggio Emilia; Municipal Hall, Salò
1994: “4 Jaare,” Galerie Van Planken, Antwerp
1993: “Contemporary Drawing Collection: New Acquisitions,” Galleria Civica, Modena
1992: “Through the Second Half of the 20th Century,” Galleria d’Arte Contemporanea, Arezzo
1990: “The Mirage of Lyricism, Abstract Art in Italy After 1945,” Liljevalchs Konsthall, Stockholm
1989: “The Streets: Ten Painters in Milan,” Scuderie della Pilotta, Parma
1988: “A Milanese Story,” Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Arezzo / “Milano Punto Uno,” Studio Marconi, Milan; then Galleria Mara Coccia, Rome / Galleria San Fedele, Milan / “Acquisitions for the Civic Collection,” Galleria Civica, Modena / “Acquisitions for the Art Collection,” Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Bologna / Frac Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse
1987: “Postwar Italian Drawing,” Galleria Civica, Modena / “Italian Drawings 1945–1987,” Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt am Main / “Images for the Invisible,” Galleria San Fedele, Milan / 30th National Art Biennial, Palazzo della Permanente, Milan / 8th National Art Biennial, Galleria d’Arte Moderna Ricci Oddi, Piacenza / “Twenty Years,” Galleria Editalia, Rome
1986: 11th Quadriennale, Rome / “National Painting Exhibition Città di Monza,” Villa Reale, Monza
1985: Galleria Bambaia, Busto Arsizio
1984: “National Painting Exhibition Città di Monza,” Villa Reale, Monza
1983: “The Sign in Painting and Sculpture,” Palazzo della Permanente, Milan / “The Existential Image,” Centro d’Arte Annunciata, Milan
1982: “The Painted Work,” Scuderie della Pilotta, Parma; then Rotonda della Besana, Milan
1981: “The Sign and the Light: Seven Artists in the ’60s,” Studio d’Arte Annunciata, Milan
1980: “Twelve Italian Artists in Denmark,” traveling exhibition
1979: Galleria Morone 6, Milan / “The Roots of Contemporary Art: From Informal,” Galleria Civica, Monza
1978: “Abstraction of Landscape,” Palazzo Ducale, Urbino
1977: Centro d’Arte Annunciata, Milan
1976: “Ten Years of Milanese Gallery Activity,” Studio Marconi, Milan / “Drawing and Small Sculpture,” Palazzo della Permanente, Milan / Galleria Falchi, Milan
1975: “Polyvalence,” Galerie Albertstrasse, Graz
1974: Galleria 3 A, Turin / IKI, Düsseldorf / 12th Milan Biennale, Milan
1973: Galleria Bergamini, Milano / X Quadriennale, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Roma / “Pittura in Lombardia 1945-73”, Villa Reale, Monza / “Mostra segnalati catalogo Bolaffi”, Torino / “Trois peintres de la jeune genération italienne: Madella, Raciti, Vago”, Palais de l’Athenée, Génève
1972: Galerie Numaga, Auvernier / IV Biennale Morgan’s Paint, Sede Morgan’s Paint, Ravenna
1971: “Presence in Milan,” Centro Rizzoli, Milan / “The Active Image,” Rotonda della Besana, Milan
1970: Galleria Contini, Rome / 14th National Painting Exhibition Ramazzotti, Milan
