Romane de Watteville: “I’ll miss you when I scroll away” at the Swiss

Romane de Watteville: “I’ll miss you when I scroll away”

The Swiss Institute in Milan hosts a solo exhibition by Romane de Watteville, a Swiss-French artist whose practice revolves around portraiture through figurative painting, photographic collages, drawing and scenography. The exhibition runs from 15 April to 4 July 2026 and presents works that balance intimacy, artifice and visual allure.

De Watteville’s work is notable for fragmented viewpoints and perspectival devices that evoke trompe-l’œil effects: partly revealed bodies, obscured faces, and the frequent use of screens and mirrors that question who observes and who is observed. Fashion and disguise appear as strategies to construct identity, while painting engages with references from cinema and art history.

Highlights for visitors interested in contemporary portraiture and image theory:

• Dates: 15 April – 4 July 2026
• Venue: Swiss Institute, Milan
• Media: figurative painting, preparatory photo-collage, drawing, murals and scenography
• Themes: identity, private making vs public representation, fashion as identity device

The fragmentation present in the works invites viewers to complete stories and inhabit the images: rather than offering a single autobiographical reading, the portraits propose possible selves. This participatory quality turns the act of looking into a component of the artwork.

Practical tip: check the Swiss Institute’s opening hours before visiting. The exhibition is particularly relevant for those interested in contemporary painting, critical image studies and stage-like installations.

Why go: if you are drawn to portraiture that merges painterly technique with critical reflection on digital and social identity, this solo show presents a tightly composed body of work that rewards close attention.