In 1960 artists Pietro Cascella, Piero Dorazio, Gino Marotta, Fabio Mauri, Gastone Novelli, Achille Perilli, Mimmo Rotella and Giulio Turcato, together with poet and critic Cesare Vivaldi, joined forces in the Crack Group. The experiment – lasting only a year and unique in its kind – culminated in a single exhibition at Il Canale gallery in Venice in August of the same year, along with the publication of a volume focused on this particular artistic experience.
“The Crack Group”, exhibition view at Galleria Gracis, 20/3 – 20/6/2025 (on the left, work by Achille Perilli, on the right, two works by Gastone Novelli). Ph Fabio Mantegna, courtesy Galleria Gracis, Milan
Now, at the Gracis gallery in Milan “The Crack Group” is being repeated from March 20th to June 20th. The exhibition narrates the particular – but still little-known – story of the group through a significant corpus of heterogeneous and vibrant works. Under the banner of a formal freedom and an independent visual language capable of transcending medium, style, subject, protagonist and reference color, these artists came together to highlight a “crack” in the Italian art scene of the 1960s. The exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in a sudden and dynamic atmosphere, just like the spirit that animated the Crack Group. It’s a journey through a brief yet striking collective experience, one that left a lasting impact on the artistic language from that time. Curated by Laura Cherubini, with critical support from Francesco Guzzetti and the archives of the involved artists, the exhibition aims to showcase the value and impact of a group that, despite its ephemeral existence, represented a crucial turning point in the transition of Italian art between the 1950s and 1960s.
“The Crack Group”, exhibition view at Galleria Gracis, 20/3 – 20/6/2025 (on the left, work by Achille Perilli, on the right, two works by Gastone Novelli). Ph Fabio Mantegna, courtesy Galleria Gracis, Milan
The group’s intellectual and artistic autonomy comes to life in the reality of the artists’ works, so diverse yet united in their opposition to the Italian academicism from that time. Renowned for his sculptural work, Pietro Cascella is represented by the intense piece Mosè (1959): an aluminum sculpture that highlights his exploration of form and material. A master of color and form, Piero Dorazio is featured with several works: Pretoriano II (1962) and Il bello blu (1961), perfect examples of his reticular and geometric painting, while Passeggiata del seduttore (1954) is a wood relief, part of his lesser-known but valuable production in the evolution of his visual language. An innovator in the use of industrial materials, Gino Marotta presents multiple versions of Crack (1960): works in cast aluminum and painted wooden boxes that, along with Apollo (1960) and Saldatrice solare (1960), testify to his exploration of the intersection between art and technology. With a conceptual and poetic approach, Fabio Mauri is represented by Braccio di ferro (1960), Little Lulù (1960) and Note di viaggio (1960): works that reflect his interest in memory and visual storytelling.
“The Crack Group”, exhibition view at Galleria Gracis, 20/3 – 20/6/2025 (on the left, work by Achille Perilli, on the right, two works by Gastone Novelli). Ph Fabio Mantegna, courtesy Galleria Gracis, Milan
II sala del museo (1960) and Miss America (1960) by Gastone Novelli showcase a painting style rich in symbolic signs and references, forming a personal reinterpretation of visual language. A key figure in Italian abstractionism, Achille Perilli is represented by works such as Dialogo con l’ombra (1960) and I grandi riflessi (1961), where broken and frantic lines come alive with dynamic and chromatic tensions. A pioneer of décollage, Mimmo Rotella presents Senza titolo (c. 1954) and Off limits (1958), examples of his tear-and-reassemble technique that deconstructs advertising imagery. Exponent of experimental and material painting, Giulio Turcato presents Lenzuolo di S. Rocco II (1958) and Astronomica (1959), works that explore the pictorial surface through an unprecedented abstract yet tangible language.
Pietro Cascella, “Moses”, 1959, aluminium, 61 × 62.5 × 14.5 cm, courtesy Archivio Pietro Cascella. Work exhibited at the exhibition “The Crack Group”, at the Galleria Gracis
The selection of works offers visitors a plurality of voices and experiments within the Crack Group, providing an in-depth look at a key moment in post-war Italian art. It represents the artists’ conscious protest against the constraints of informal art, as they sought to redefine boundaries of artistic practice and dominant conventions, opening new expressive horizons through experimentation with materials, techniques and concepts in a dynamic dialogue between painting, sculpture, installation and written word. The exhibition at Gracis Gallery is both a historical tribute and a critical re-examination of the Crack Group’s experience. The exhibition layout reflects the diversity of individual research and their point of convergence. All the exhibited works, already documented in the 1960 volume Crack (published by the Krachmalnikoff publishing house, led by Achille Mauri, Fabio’s brother), offer tangible testimony to an audacious and unconventional artistic exploration. The new catalog (published by Manfredi Maretti), which narrates the current exhibition, is structured into monographic sections for each of the involved artists, illustrating documents and archival materials that trace the history of the Crack Group. It also includes a mock up of the original 1960 publication.
Fabio Mauri, “Little Lulù”, 1960, collage and tempera on paper, 44 × 57 cm, courtesy The Estate of Fabio Mauri and Hauser & Wirth. Work exhibited on the occasion of the exhibition “The Crack Group”, at the Galleria Gracis
The structure of the exhibition allows visitors to grasp the collective’s undiminished energy: without imposing a rigid path, it leaves room for personal discovery once inside the gallery. What is the result? The echo of a powerful resonance that brings to light an almost forgotten episode of Italian art, restoring its rightful and well-deserved place in contemporary art. An unmissable opportunity to rediscover a wave of expressive freedom and intellectual resistance that continues to resonate today.
Francesca Liantonio
Info:
VV.AA, The Crack Group (Il Gruppo Crack)
20/03/2025 – 20/06/2025
curated by Laura Cherubini
Galleria Gracis
Piazza Castello 16, Milano
gracis@gracis.com
www.galleriagracis.com/it/
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