Tragicomica at MAXXI: Irony in Italian Art from the Second Half of the

Tragicomica at MAXXI: the irony of Italian art

The National Museum of 21st Century Arts (MAXXI) in Rome presents Tragicomica. Perspectives on Italian art from the Second Half of the 20th Century to today, an exhibition exploring how irony, desacralization and anti-rhetoric have shaped Italian art from the 1950s to the present. The show pairs renowned works with lesser-known researches to create unexpected conversations and alternative narratives.

Curatorial approach and layout

Curated by Andrea Bellini and Francesco Stocchi, the exhibition is built around the notion of an anti-tragic intention, privileging a detached, critical gaze over solemnity. The display avoids strict chronology: instead, works are grouped by thematic and tonal affinities to highlight irony as a strategy of social critique and poetic deviation.

Highlighted works and artists

A key starting point is a 1958 piece by Lucio Fontana, which exemplifies the juxtaposition of sacred and profane. Iconic provocative works sit alongside contemporary projects that continue the irreverent tradition.

• Lucio Fontana – a pivotal work that frames the exhibition’s inquiry;
• Piero Manzoni – provocative pieces questioning artistic value;
• Maurizio Cattelan – examples of cutting satire and irony;
• Pino Pascali, Tano Festa, Giosetta Fioroni – leading figures of the late 20th century;
• Elena Bellantoni, Jacopo Belloni – representatives of recent experimental practices.

Why see it

The exhibition is ideal for visitors who want to understand how irony has functioned as a critical tool in Italian culture—from literature and film to contemporary visual art. The layout encourages discovering links across generations and reinterpreting familiar works through an anti-rhetorical lens.

MAXXI’s role today

MAXXI continues to act as a hub for contemporary debate, presenting projects that foster reinterpretation and exchange between different artistic generations. Tragicomica offers a layered overview of seventy years of Italian artistic practice, where provocation and humour intersect with social critique.