MAXXI explores the spirit of Italian contemporary art with the landmark exhibition ‘Tragicomica’

Among this year’s defining exhibitions of Italian contemporary art, Tragicomica: Perspectives on Italian Art from the Mid-20th Century to Today is on view at MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome through September 20th, 2026. Bringing together more than 300 works by over 130 artists, the exhibition examines postwar Italian art through the intertwined forces of irony, satire, and contradiction, revealing how these qualities have shaped the country’s creative identity for decades.

A journey where tragedy and comedy exist side by side

Curated by Andrea Bellini and Francesco Stocchi, Tragicomica offers a fresh perspective on Italian art, replacing conventional art-historical narratives with surprising encounters across eras and movements. Inspired by philosopher Giorgio Agamben’s notion of Italy’s distinctive “anti-tragic intention,” the exhibition reveals how artists have confronted political upheaval, existential uncertainty, and social change through wit, absurdity, and the poetry of everyday life.

Masterpieces and lesser-known works stand in unexpected proximity, creating new conversations across generations and encouraging fresh readings of familiar artistic legacies.

From Lucio Fontana to Maurizio Cattelan: artists who redefined postwar art

The exhibition begins with one of Lucio Fontana’s earliest works—an ironic self-portrait inscribed with the contradictory declarations, “I am a saint” and “I am a scoundrel.” This playful paradox sets the tone for an exhibition that embraces ambiguity as a defining artistic strategy.

Among the featured artists are Maurizio Cattelan, whose provocative works challenge power and cultural conventions; Alighiero Boetti, celebrated for merging conceptual thought with systems of order and chance; Giuseppe Penone, exploring the dialogue between humanity and nature; Carol Rama, whose uncompromising works reshaped conversations around the body and desire; Piero Manzoni, who radically expanded the boundaries of authorship; and Monica Bonvicini, whose installations investigate authority, architecture, and gender.

Beyond the gallery: a dialogue across culture and ideas

Extending beyond the visual arts, Tragicomica embraces cinema, theatre, literature, philosophy, architecture, and design, reflecting the richness of Italy’s cultural landscape. Across these disciplines, humour emerges as a powerful lens through which history, identity, and collective memory can be questioned and reinterpreted.

Tragicomica invites visitors to see Italian contemporary art through unexpected juxtapositions and fresh perspectives. Spanning more than eighty years of artistic production, it celebrates irony not simply as a stylistic device, but as one of the defining forces of Italy’s creative imagination.