The Art of Naming a Work (three-year course)

Focus areas

• Italian
• History of Art
• Philosophy
• History

Activities

During the tour, the students will analyse the titles of the works as essential components of Luciano Fabro’s creative process. Wordplay and surprising combinations of words, shapes and materials introduce wit and ambiguity. Rather than merely describing what we see, a title can contradict the image, draw attention to a particular detail, suggest an association or overturn the viewer’s perspective entirely.

Special attention will be given to the Italie (Italies) series, which Fabro began in 1968. He takes an instantly recognisable geographical outline but then hangs it up, tilts it or turns it upside down, variously making it from materials with contrasting physical qualities and cultural values. In doing so, the silhouette of the Italian peninsula ceases to be a static image and becomes a means of questioning its national identity, history, and social and economic transformation. At the end of the session, the groups will debate how linguistic shifts and the power of the imagination can transform the way we view art and create meaning.