David Schutter & Massimo Bartolini
Rethinking Romanticism in Contemporary Art
Curated by Elena Volpato
CAMeC - Centro d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea
11 April - 13 September 2026
At CAMeC, an exhibition explores the spiritual and visual legacy of Friedrich, Constable, and Turner through the eyes of seven contemporary artists. A journey between past and present to rediscover the connection between humanity, nature, and the infinite
The exhibition offers an in-depth exploration of the spiritual and visual legacy of three masters of painting—Caspar David Friedrich, John Constable, and J.M.W. Turner—highlighting their influence in the works of seven leading figures on the international art scene: Giovanni Anselmo, Massimo Bartolini, Ian Kiaer, David Schutter, Linda Fregni Nagler, Pesce Khete, and Michele Tocca. A fascinating journey connecting the great painting of the nineteenth century to the expressive explorations of our time.
Far from being a mere historical celebration, the exhibition illustrates how the connection between man, nature, and the infinite remains vital in art today.
The exhibition unfolds through three conceptual strands corresponding to the different “spirits” of Romanticism: Friedrich’s hermetic and metaphysical art, Constable’s unadorned naturalism, and Turner’s landscape as a mental space.
Following in the footsteps of Caspar David Friedrich, artists Giovanni Anselmo, Linda Fregni Nagler, Ian Kiaer, and Massimo Bartolini invite viewers to reflect on the sense of bewilderment and wonder that individuals feel when faced with the cosmos. Through magnetic sculptures, photographic archives, symbolic “dew,” and fragile structures resembling modern ruins, the works invite the viewer to grapple with vastness and the unknown.
Drawing inspiration from John Constable and his simple, unadorned depictions of landscape and nature, Michele Tocca presents a pure and direct style of painting. Through the practice of plein air painting and the mnemonic study of the painterly gesture, the two artists seek “firstimeness”—the ability to view the world with fresh eyes. The study of clouds and the pure rendering of the landscape become here a spiritual exercise to rediscover the truth of simple things. David Schutter also takes his cue from Constable, but to interrogate the colonial culture expressed in the spatial construction of a painting of fundamental historical value such as The Grove, 1822, held at the Tate in London.
Finally, the energy of J. M. W. Turner finds expression in the works of Pesce Khete. Here, the landscape ceases to be a physical place and becomes a mental space: a journey into the human soul where color and line become rhythm, emotion, and reflection.