Today, the artist faces once again a condition of bewildering freedom. There are no longer any aesthetic canons. Who can now decide for everyone what, in our poly-aesthetic universe, can still be considered art? There is only a vast, boundless, diffused energy. The challenge lies in harnessing it.

(F. Alinovi, The italian wave, 1980)

Tornabuoni Art Rome presents Italian wave, an exhibition that traces the dynamic evolution of Italian art from the mid 1970s to early 1990s — a period marked by a pluralism of artistic languages, expressive exprerimentation and a strong multi-disciplinary spirit.

This journey unfolds through the work of eight key figures in the Italian art scene: Sandro Chia, Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi, Nicola De Maria, Aldo Mondino, Luigi Ontani, Mimmo Paladino, and Mario Schifano. It was a moment that brought painting back to the center of the international cultural debate, restoring Italy’s prominent role on the global artistic stage.