The Department of Culture of Rome Capital, Azienda Palaexpo, and Fondazione Mattatoio present two seemingly distinct yet complementary exhibitions: Beata Moltitudo by Alfredo Zelli and Con qualche parte della terra by Vincenzo Scolamiero.
The Mattatoio, located in the heart of the Testaccio district and considered a significant example of industrial archaeology in the Capital, serves as the venue for these works by Roman artists. The pavilions of this complex embody the transition between eras and uses, moving towards a modern exhibition space that enhances artistic content amidst its architectural sequences. Managed by Fondazione Mattatoio of Rome, the mission is to revitalize these regenerated spaces by offering culturally significant artistic experiences and free access to exhibitions for the city.
In pavilions A and B, near the main entrance, Alfredo Zelli and Vincenzo Scolamiero exhibit their art. Their work is presented not in competition, but as part of a broader project to celebrate the territory through the creations of artists who live and work in the city. Both artists are part of the Roman school and share a background in teaching, a deep appreciation for poetry, and an engagement with the rhythm of music. Research, experimentation, and evolution are core drivers of their artistic inspiration, leading to a shared poetic language that has fostered collaboration in various gallery and museum exhibitions. Their individual presentations transform into an intimate dialogue, a looking “into each other.”
For Beata Moltidudo, curated by Carlo Alberto Bucci, Alfredo Zelli showcases his creations from 2012 to 2026. The exhibition eschews chronological order, instead offering a perspective focused on volume and emotion, challenging spatial dimensions and stylistic conventions.
A monumental oval figure, titled Senza titolo, greets the visitor with its vibrant yellow hue. This early work, made of wood and cardboard in 1999, resembles a chrysalis that evolves into a human form, symbolizing perfection in subsequent pieces. Zelli invites viewers to lose themselves in an imagined “we,” aiming to universalize individual experiences.
The Latin phrase Beata Moltitudo, chosen by the artist for his solo exhibition title, emphasizes the importance of detaching from the world to achieve inner peace and tranquility. Painting becomes a space for contemplation, where suspension, transparency, and composition lead to a third dimension.
In the work Tutto è nascente, acetate sheets radiate outwards from a central pole, depicting a body in motion, unconstrained by spatial limits, in an explosion of light. This piece is meant to be viewed from all sides, creating unexpected movements and capturing the passage of time through overlapping transparencies. Zelli transforms his works into architectural volumes with dual perspectives: a clear, bright, and easily decipherable frontal view, and a lateral view that reveals the construction of the artwork.
The human being is central to the artist’s work, regaining immediate recognizability before dematerializing back into a sign rather than a form.
In the adjacent pavilion, Vincenzo Scolamiero presents his artistic journey in the exhibition Con qualche parte della terra, which spans 15 years of his painting research. Poetry also plays a significant role in Scolamiero’s work, informing his chosen exhibition title. The quote, “Con qualche parte della terra,” is drawn from Louise Gluck’s poem End of Summer: “After I thought of all the things, I thought of the void and there is a limit to the pleasure it finds in forms.”
Poetry is also present in the titles of his works, enhancing their evocative power and creating an artistic path of dialogue and emotional resonance. His compositions are characterized by a sense of balance, and the dynamic use of space is achieved through the interplay of filled and empty areas, where the void becomes a constructive element.
Scolamiero’s art is marked by academic rigor, where experimentation with color is balanced with a more instinctive gestural approach. His predominant use of earthy pigments allows for variations in the fluidity of his strokes, resulting in a style characterized by hybrid forms suspended between abstraction and figuration. The artist crafts his own tools, beginning the creative process long before applying paint to the canvas, with every element—from body movement to breath rhythm—participating in the creation. Large canvases are interspersed with smaller works displayed in sequence. The exhibition design is by Maria Vittoria Pinotti, and a catalog published by De Luca Editori d’Arte accompanies the show.
The exhibitions will be on display until May 17, 2026.
