Hugh Marano. The rooms of utopia

Volume published on the occasion of the exhibition Hugh Marano. The rooms of utopia, 16 march - 4 June 2023, Madre – Donnaregina Museum of Contemporary Art, Naples.

“In his artistic practice, Ugo Marano has combined the concreteness of research into design and materials with a sensitivity that has its roots in ancient southern traditions. […]

Marano's art draws inspiration from everyday life and returns to it, loading chairs and tables, dishes and other commonly used objects of new meanings. His practice appears to be continually enlivened by his fervent imagination and above all by a strong desire for renewal and conscious reflection on his own means of expression. His home in Capriglia di Pellezzano, real house museum, it is the place where the artist has created a cenacle in which to gather with guests and share relationships, projects, ideas. The same spirit moved the writer and theorist Marano, which we find in the anthology of writings reported in this catalogue.

Taken as a whole, the exhibition and the book represent further steps towards one of the main objectives that the Madre museum sets itself: the creation of an archive of contemporary art in Southern Italy, in which the works of Italian and international authors dialogue in a rich and fruitful comparison between different and complementary experiences and which can form the basis for further enhancement actions.

Through Hugh Marano. The rooms of utopia, we offer readers the opportunity to explore the creative universe of an important artist long "forgotten" by museum institutions. Stefania Zuliani and Antonello Tolve accompany us on this journey (exhibition curators, ed). This book is a tribute to his memory and, together, an invitation to reflect on the connection between art, daily life and territory”.

[From the Introduction to the volume by Angela Tecce, President of the Donnaregina Foundation for contemporary arts / mother museum]