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The Environments of Franco Vaccari

Museion is pleased to present a major exhibition dedicated to Franco Vaccari (Modena, 1936-2025), one of the most distinctive voices of postwar and conceptual Italian art. Bringing together photographic works, videos, artist’s books, and archival materials, the exhibition presents, for the first time, a comprehensive exploration of Vaccari’s environments as the core of his artistic practice. Conceived on the occasion of what would have been the artist’s 90th birthday, the exhibition marks the first extensive institutional presentation of his work in Italy in over a decade and situates it within a broader international discourse on audience participation, foregrounding the active role of visitors in shaping the artwork itself.

The exhibition is organized thematically and unfolds through a sequence of environments and other works that explore key aspects of Vaccari’s practice. Themes such as the traces people leave behind, the collective unconscious, and the formation of memories guide both the reading of the works and the exhibition design, which has been entrusted to Fosbury Architecture.

The exhibition opens with projects focused on darkness as a way of approaching the unconscious and the dream world, inviting visitors into an inner “descent,” both metaphorical and literal. In this subdued setting, perception slows and familiar ways of seeing give way to a more attentive, sensory experience. Environments such as La Scultura Buia (1968), Esposizione in tempo reale n. 19, Codemondo (1980), and Esposizione in tempo reale n. 20, Ambiente grigio multiuso, scatola per sondare lo spazio vicino e lontano (1987) create situations in which personal experience becomes part of a shared space.

The exhibition continues through environments that address Vaccari’s interest in the traces of human presence in urban public spaces and in the social dynamics of temporary communities. Together with the iconic project Esposizione in tempo reale n. 4, Lascia su queste pareti una traccia fotografica del tuo passaggio, presented at the Venice Biennale in 1972, and its development, Photomatic d’Italia (1972–75), an ambitious project developed through photobooths in public spaces across Italy, Esposizione in tempo reale n. 21, Bar Code – Code Bar (1993), and Mini cinema (2003) explore social interaction, collective behavior, and moments of spontaneous encounter. Throughout the exhibition, Vaccari’s environments are presented not as static reconstructions but as reactivated situations, faithful to the artist’s original intentions and responsive to contemporary audiences.

Franco Vaccari was born in Modena on June 18, 1936, and received a scientific education, graduating in physics. After beginning his artistic career as a visual poet, he initiated his first Esposizione in tempo reale in 1969, introducing the concept of the “real-time exhibition” that would become central to his practice. His work spans several approaches but is often described through the lens of conceptual realism. Among his most renowned works is Esposizione in tempo reale n. 4, Lascia su queste pareti una traccia fotografica del tuo passaggio, presented in a solo room inside the Central Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1972; he returned with solo rooms in 1980 and 1993.

Alongside his artistic production, Vaccari developed an influential theoretical practice, publishing key texts such as Duchamp e l’occultamento del lavoro (1978) and Fotografia e inconscio tecnologico (1979). His work has been presented internationally in major exhibitions and institutions, including the Gwangju Biennale in South Korea, Kunsthalle Basel, Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne, Mostyn in Wales, Fondazione Morra Greco in Naples, and the Milan Triennale, among others. Franco Vaccari died in 2025.