The exhibition offers a renewed interpretation of the roots and legacy of Edvard Munch, one of the great masters of modern art whose influence shaped much of the twentieth century. Renowned yet often reduced to his most iconic works, Munch is presented here as a central figure in a broader artistic revolution that continues to resonate through generations.
Starting from the Norwegian artist’s works preserved in the civic collections of Ca’ Pesaro, the project positions Munch as a guide in a journey through the art of our time, exploring the collections of the Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna under the sign of the Expressionist revolution.
Munch was a crucial reference point for the European artistic avant-gardes at the turn of the century – from the Munich and Berlin Secessions to the Symbolist movement. His graphic work, a central part of his practice, is represented at Ca’ Pesaro by four exceptional prints in different techniques. In these, faces and figures are marked by a fierce expressiveness that turns them into universal icons of anxiety and inner turmoil.
The exhibition establishes dialogues between Munch and artists such as Waldemar, Franz von Stuck, and James Ensor, extending to the echoes of Italian and Belgian Symbolism. Among the highlights is the monumental Two Old Men on loan from Stockholm, revealing a brighter, post-impressionist phase in Munch’s oeuvre.
Drawing on the richness of Venice’s civic collections, the exhibition also traces Munch’s influence on later generations – from the German Expressionists Otto Dix and Max Beckmann to contemporary languages. The installations of Tony Oursler, the performances of Marina Abramović, and the works of Shirin Neshat demonstrate how Munch’s legacy remains alive, giving form to the pain, violence, and solitude that still define the human experience today.