The volume examines the painting research, spanning about four decades, conducted by Renato Guttuso. He was a figure in the forefront of Italian art from the late-20th century and an absolutely prominent player in the setting of fervent debates enlivening that period.
It has gathered together a representative sample of the works that best illustrate the artist’s will to provide shape and substance to an art form of civil commitment: from Fucilazione in campagna (Execution by Gunshot in the Countryside, 1938) to the drawings of Gott mit Uns (God with Us, 1944); then continuing during the 1960s with Documentario sul Vietnam (Documentary on Vietnam, 1965) and Giovani innamorati (Young Lovers, 1968), the symbol of equal, revolutionary love; and, later, with Funerali di Togliatti (Funeral of Togliatti, 1972) that is a compendium of the history of struggles and hopes of a population, together with the reasons behind the political activism of a man and of an artist.
In close proximity with this production, the volume also proposes traditional painting subjects and a precious collection of hardly-known works – which are in some cases absolutely unprecedented.
Turin, GAM, February - June 2018
Introduction
Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev
Living and active matter
Pier Giovanni Castagnoli
Renato Guttuso: the 'Portrait of Mario Schifano' and the Moral Unity of Painting
Elena Volpato
The Last History Painting
Fabio Belloni
Guttuso explains the 'Funeral of Togliatti'
a cura di Fabio Belloni
WORKS
Paintings
Studies, Sketches, Portraits
APPENDIX
Biography compiled by the Guttuso Archives
Anthology by Renato Guttuso
Short critical anthology
Essential bibliography compiled by the Guttuso Archives
L'arte rivoluzionaria nel cinquantenario del '68
Painter of Modern Life
