Mariella Bettineschi | Lanterne magiche. Fotografie dalla collezione Valerio De Paolis

z2o Sara Zanin is pleased to announce the participation of Mariella Bettineschi in Lanterne magiche. Fotografie dalla collezione Valerio De Paolis.

 

A series of visual itineraries through the De Paolis Collection, bringing different perspectives, spaces, and contexts into dialogue, along with emblematic figures and places of contemporary life. The exhibition presents to the public, for the first time, a selection of masterpieces of international photography, offering an unprecedented opportunity to explore the richness and depth of the collection. Curated by Alessandra Mauro, Roberto Koch, and Suleima Autore, the exhibition is promoted by Roma Capitale, Department of Culture and Coordination of Initiatives Related to Holocaust Remembrance Day, and by the Capitoline Superintendence for Cultural Heritage. It is organized by Cinema in collaboration with Contrasto. The catalogue is published by Contrasto. Museum services are provided by Zètema Progetto Cultura. The exhibition presents a series of visual itineraries through the De Paolis Collection, bringing different perspectives, spaces, and contexts into dialogue, along with emblematic figures and places of contemporary life. Considered one of the earliest devices for visual storytelling, and a precursor to both photography and cinema, the magic lantern made it possible to project onto a screen, from an enclosed box containing the light of a candle, exotic views, monuments, portraits, and figurative sequences, creating true visual narratives. These projections, whether static or animated, fascinated audiences for generations and continue to evoke distant worlds, inspire wonder, and awaken emotions and memories. Like the many projections of a magic lantern, the photographs in the De Paolis Collection create a unique and compelling spectacle of images. Valerio De Paolis has built his personal and professional journey around images: cinema was at the heart of his activities for many years, in a variety of roles, from production manager to film producer and distributor. At the same time, De Paolis gradually developed a strong interest in other forms of visual expression, collecting works of art, painting, sculpture, and, in particular, photography. Alongside the language of cinema, photography has taken on a central role for him as a space of memory, comparison, and visual recognition: images selected for their formal affinities, for echoes of earlier visions, or for their ability to evoke experiences and ways of seeing accumulated throughout his professional journey. The exhibition is divided into three thematic sections. The first section, An Idea of Woman, brings together different interpretations of the female body through the visions of women and men photographers, creating a dialogue that explores themes of seduction, identity, and the gaze. The second section, An Idea of Space, is devoted to the representation of space — predominantly urban — investigated and interpreted by some of the leading figures in photography, with particular emphasis on the work of Luigi Ghirri, represented by an extensive group of photographs. The exhibition concludes with the third section, The Space of Art, where the investigations of major avant-garde artists intersect in a dialogue between protagonists and installations. The exhibition brings together more than one hundred photographs in a variety of formats, by some of the most important figures on the international photography scene.

 

1 September 2026