Squares, places

The solo exhibition by the photographer and psycho-socioanalyst Giuseppe Varchettacurated by Valeria Bianco, provides a picturesque backdrop to the launch of the book of the same name, published by MIMESIS and edited by Paola Lenarduzzi, with in-depth articles by Anna Lazzarini. Through the artist’s eyes, the exhibition takes the form of a visual exploration centred on the profound essence of the square, understood not merely as a purely architectural or urban planning element, but as a genuine living organism which breathes and plays a vital role within the various urban areas.

The square thus reveals itself in its capacity as “place” par excellence: a space for meeting and civic conversation where people look at one another, engage in dialogue and forge interpersonal relationships. Drawing on material from his own photographic archive, which focuses on the voice “towns and villages”, the photographer presents an uninterrupted sequence of open spaces that bear witness to the urban environment’s capacity to embrace and process a variety of emotions. The photographs on display are characterised by the photographer’s rigorous stylistic approach; he has always worked exclusively in black and white and with analogue machines, capturing visual memory with profound sensitivity and formal rigour within the exhibition setting of the MAS – Museum of Art and Science a Milan.