Doppio sogno. 2RC tra artista e artefice

Two hundred and fifty graphic works, thirty matrix plates and a selection of documentary videos reconstruct – in the exhibition curated by Achille Bonito Oliva – the history of the Stamperia 2RC in Rome, from 1962 in collaboration with some of the key figures in art from the second half of the 20th century to today.

Valter and Eleonora Rossi and Franco Cioppi opened the Stamperia 2RC with the firm belief that graphic art was a true artistic genre, like painting and sculpture, and not merely an extension of the latter. The goal was to create a workshop that would develop various graphic techniques, allowing artists to work and experiment freely, just as they did with other mediums. Lucio Fontana, Alberto Burri, Gio’ Pomodoro, Giuseppe Capogrossi, Giulio Turcato, Piero Dorazio, Pietro Consagra, Afro, Joan Mirò, Alexander Calder, Victor Vasarely, Man Ray, Max Bill, Henry Moore, Giacomo Manzù, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Graham Sutherland, Francis Bacon, Julian Schnabel, Enzo Cucchi, Francesco Clemente, and Jannis Kounellis are just some of the names of the artists who collaborated with 2RC.

The collection exhibited in the show – stated Bonito Oliva – is a journey through the history of contemporary art from the 1960s to the present, beyond any generational and poetic limits. It represents a panorama, in terms of presence and quality, that is absolutely reliable regarding the artistic creation of the second half of the 20th century to today. A creative tradition that is entirely Italian. The artisan’s ability to become a maker, a producer of added value compared to the artist’s initial project. The work, as conceived, becomes the result of a collaborative effort, an intertwining between artist, artist and artisan, concept and execution.

On the occasion of the exhibition, a catalog has been published, edited by 2RC Stamperia d'arte, containing the entire production of 2RC, an introduction by Achille Bonito Oliva, and a biographical text by Valter Rossi.

At the end of the exhibition at the Foundation, the show will be replicated in other locations across Albania, Russia, Serbia, and China: National Gallery of Arts, Tirana, December 2007 – January 2008; Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts, Moscow, February – March 2008; Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts, St. Petersburg, May – June 2008; Italian Cultural Institute, Belgrade, September – October 2008; Central Academy Museum, Beijing, January – February 2009; Luxury Academy of Fine Arts, Shenyang, April 2009; Museo Nacional de la Estampa, Mexico City, July – November 2011.