Matera, February 12 – An exhibition showcasing the works of artist Luigi Guerricchio, titled “The Boys of Via Roma,” is set to open this Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The event will take place at the Studio Arti Visive, located on Via delle Beccherie, a space founded by Matera artist Franco Di Pede.
A Tribute to Master Guerricchio
Curated by Michele Saponaro and Giuseppe Miriello, the exhibition is promoted by the Luigi Guerricchio Archive, meticulously maintained by Antonio Guerricchio. This initiative commemorates the 30th anniversary of the passing of Master Guerricchio and has received the moral patronage of the Municipality of Matera. It also benefits from the collaboration of art historian Milena Ferrandina, who authored the critical essay in the accompanying catalog, which also features an unpublished poem by Roberto Linzalone, a close friend of Guerricchio.
Unveiling Previously Unseen Works
For the first time, a cycle of twelve pastels from the mid-1980s will be displayed. These works, collectively known as “The Boys of Via Roma,” capture young people in moments of strolls and togetherness, serving as silent witnesses to a period of significant transition in Matera. During these years, Matera underwent profound urban and social changes, which Guerricchio skillfully depicted with great sensitivity and clarity.
The exhibited works include titles such as: “We Are All Here,” “The Two Girls,” “The Encounter,” “Your Smile,” “The Victory,” “The Sandwich Girl,” “Bathers,” “Your Gaze,” “Beyond the Moon,” “With the Backpack,” “The Rock,” and “I Sing.”
Art as a Mirror of Society
Milena Ferrandina notes, “Luigi Guerricchio’s works dedicated to adolescents, perhaps also somewhat linked to the memory of his students, carefully document the gestures, postures, and interactions of young people, capturing suspended moments that convey the complexity of the transitional age between childhood and maturity. The bodies, represented with precision and participation, are not considered as single individuals, but as elements of a collective phenomenon that reflects the social and cultural transformations of the time. Painting thus becomes a tool for observation and recording reality, a means to convey the fragility and relational dynamics characteristic of that age.”
Antonio Nicoletti, the Mayor of Matera, remarked, “This exhibition brings Matera back to look at itself in the mirror of its own memory, through the work of an artist who was able to tell its story with profound sensitivity and sincere affection.”
The Genesis of the Exhibition
Michele Saponaro, co-curator of the exhibition, explained, “The origin and meaning of this exhibition do not stem from a pre-arranged exhibition project, but from a concatenation of concrete gestures, attentions, and choices that have progressively taken shape. The initial occasion was the creation of a small desk calendar, conceived as a corporate gadget by Giuseppe Miriello, who has been working on this type of publication for various production companies for years.” Further details about the exhibition’s development will be shared during the inauguration.
Acknowledgments and Exhibition Details
The organizers extend their gratitude to the various individuals and entities who contributed to the exhibition: Franco and Cosimo Damiano Di Pede, who supported the project from its inception; the photographers who provided historical images from those years, including Elio Arico (courtesy of Studio Arti Visive), Francesco Cappiello, Vito Michele Di Lecce, Giuseppe Maino, Michele Masciandaro, and Roberto Paolicelli (at the suggestion of Emanuele Giordano); Francesco Adorisio for graphic design and layout; Selecta for color alignments; Centrostampa for printing the calendars and the catalog-plaquette, published by Libri a Km Zero; Bottega d’Arte for providing the frames; and finally, the reception staff for the exhibition: Marco Amendolagine, Francesca Destena, and Noemi Scarano.
The exhibition will be open to the public in the afternoon until Tuesday, February 24, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Admission is free.
Source: https://www.noinotizie.it/12-02-2026/matera-i-ragazzi-di-via-roma-da-sabato-la-mostra/
