The catalogue of the exhibition ‘Sensibile Ambientale’ at the Baths of Caracalla (13 June – 30 September 2018), opens with a photographic gallery of installation views that fully illustrate the somewhat unpredictable interaction between Mauro Staccioli’s huge sculptures and the Roman architecture of the Baths. The sculptures appear ready to defy the laws of gravity, forging a dialogue with their setting which draws visitors in and rewards them with a vision that goes beyond mere contemplation.
A rich array of critical essays by leading specialists investigates multiple aspects of the artist’s vision and artistic development, the salient points in his long career both in Italy and abroad, his relationship with American Minimalism, the way his works interacted with landscapes and archaeological sites and his work with the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome, while the conversation with Gillo Dorfles is particularly illuminating.
A further section is dedicated to visual fact-files on the works on exhibition, complete with the genesis of the sculptures, traced through sketches and drawings, and their exhibition history with illustrations by leading photographers showing previous installations.