“Scratch, scratch!” Franco Vaccari and his Scratch ‘n’ Win in Merano

Gratta e vinci (Scratch ‘n’ Win), the title of Franco Vaccari’s Exhibition in Real Time n. 26, staged at the artForum Gallery in Merano in 1998, was an explicit invitation to the audience to try their luck at winning a lottery by scratching a two thousand lire ticket - a game that was just beginning to become popular at the time. This event turned people’s search for a cheap illusion and the reactions the game elicited into an artistic act. Everything took place in a darkened room, where the surprise of the reveal was highlighted by illuminating only the hands and faces of the players, and projecting them in real time onto a wall in the gallery. These are all recurring elements in Vaccari’s work. On the occasion of the exhibition​ Feedback. The Environments of Franco Vaccari, we have brought together the memories, reminders and “feedback” of the people who were there, in Merano, on the evening of September 10, 1998, along with the artist Franco Vaccari. These include Valerio Dehò, curator of the Merano project and later the artistic director of Merano Arte, Herta Torggler, the founder and director of the artForum Gallery and Paula Mair, who took part.

“What am I supposed to do now? Scratch, scratch!” At first, we didn’t understand. We didn’t know if it was real or fake. My husband, Peter Lloyd, was there too, and he was a lot more enthusiastic than me. He liked games … and Vaccari was a charming artist. He was, you know, one of us. I didn’t win anything, but it was a real happening. For me, everything that took place at that time was a major event, something exceptional for Merano, which had a rather closed mentality at the time. We were more than happy to take part.”

Paula Mair, participant

“We all scratched our cards and naturally none of us won anything. Players are losers because the kick comes from joining the game and taking a risk, but it was fun. Franco was always an interpreter of what was going on in the world. He had special antennae, and an extraordinary sense of irony too. He wanted to present the art world with a slice of life or a mass culture experience and watch its reaction. That was what happened in Venice in 1972, with his Exhibition in Real Time n. 4, one of his best-known works. It could have been a complete flop, but exactly the opposite happened. The exhibition began the moment it came into contact with the public. In Merano we filmed and photographed the people who took part. The audience was the star. The scratch card exhibition played on the fact that the surprise was a real surprise. And, as always, this aspect, this ability to elicit a reaction from the public, was extraordinary.”

Valerio Dehò, curator of the Exhibition in Real Time n. 26 and later the artistic director of Merano Arte

“I had already known Vaccari for several years. In 1994, he and several other artists took part in Rosanna Chiessi’s black and white dinner, which I had organized with my Raffl Gallery in Merano. It was a memorable event. I particularly remember a performance by Angelika Thomas, in which she remained suspended over the table for hours. When Vaccari suggested the Scratch ‘n’ Win idea, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I knew he was a serious guy. At the time “Scratch ‘n’ Win” cards were still relatively new, but there had already been some big winners and people were excited. That evening in Merano, everyone went crazy. We had bought 100 scratch cards and we handed them out. There were about 100 people there. The room was dark, and only the table on which the people scratched the cards was lit up. There were two video cameras, too, one focused on the players’ hands and the other on their faces. These were connected to two video projectors that beamed the moment the people scratched their cards and their reactions onto the wall. Franco Vaccari and Andrea Marini also took photographs to capture the expressions of surprise at the key moment of luck. On the way out, we distributed a handout in which the scratched card could be inserted to turn it into a limited edition, signed and numbered by the artist. When it was over, we had a glass of wine together.”

Herta Torggler, founder and director of the artFORUM GALLERY – FORUM Zeitgenössische Kunst Meran

“He always had ideas before other people, that was his special quality. He was a genius.”

Valerio Dehò

These reminiscences were recorded for Museion Bulletin by Caterina Longo.

Thanks to Anna Zinelli from Kunsthaus Merano for her help.

The Art Gallery Raffl (later the artForum Gallery) in Merano played an important role in the 1990s contemporary art scene as an exhibition venue for avant-garde art. This experience led to the formation of the Merano Arte association in 1996. With its headquarters in the Kunsthaus, located under the porticoes, this institution has since become established as an interdisciplinary and international platform dedicated to contemporary art and architecture. Franco Vaccari also appeared in other Merano Arte exhibitions, including: scapes - paesaggi striscianti, 2004 curated by Thomas Demetz; + Positive. The 2nd Merano Arte Biennial, 2004 and Sound Zero 2006 curated by Valerio Dehò.

The exhibition Feedback. The Environments of Franco Vaccari at Museion offers, for the first time, an extensive exploration of environments as the core of Franco Vaccari’s art. Conceived to mark what would have been the artist’s ninetieth birthday, this exhibition is the first extensive institutional presentation of his work in Italy in over a decade. It seeks to place Vaccari’s art in a broader international context of audience participation, which the artist sees as playing an active role in the artwork’s creation.

Curated by Frida Carazzato and Luca Panaro

Runs until 13.09.2026

The exhibition features a comprehensive collateral program, including a guided tour with the curator (on 09.07.2026, in Italian) and a Sound Performance by Francesco Fonassi and Luisali Theisen inside Franco Vaccari’s Dreams n. 1 room. After the concert, and only if reserved previously, visitors can sleep in the room and recount their dreams. An experience that reactivates this work by the artist (28.05.2026, at 8:30pm).

For more information about the exhibition and other events: Feedback. The Environments of Franco Vaccari