The Facts
An exhibition of previously unseen works on paper by Adrian Ghenie, titled 'Capricci romani', opens at the Istituto Centrale per la Grafica's Palazzo Poli in Rome from September 24 to November 15, 2026. Conceived by Alessandra Borghese and promoted by the Fondazione Ghenie Chapels – Mecenatismo per l'Arte and the Istituto, the show is curated by Fabio De Chirico and Pier Paolo Pancotto and supported by Thaddaeus Ropac gallery. It brings together works on paper and cardboard made specifically for the exhibition, focusing on the theme of the Roman countryside and the 'invented' landscape, drawing on the tradition of the capriccio genre. The exhibition also includes two soft-ground etchings created during Ghenie's residency at the Istituto's historic Calcografia, which will enter the institution's permanent collection.
The Signal
The exhibition positions Ghenie's practice within a lineage from Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain through Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot to Giovanni Battista Piranesi, as the artist reinterprets classical beauty through a contemporary, ironic lens. For collectors and curators, the show signals Ghenie's deepening engagement with drawing as a primary medium and his sustained dialogue with art history, while the inclusion of prints produced in collaboration with master printmakers underscores the Istituto's commitment to preserving graphic heritage. The works, which juxtapose ancient ruins with contemporary figures, reflect a broader trend among artists using historical genres to address present-day concerns about technology and memory.
- Artists: Adrian Ghenie
- People: Alessandra Borghese, Fabio De Chirico, Pier Paolo Pancotto, Fabio Ascenzi, Matteo Maria Borsoi
- Galleries: Thaddaeus Ropac
- Museums: Istituto Centrale per la Grafica
- Locations: Rome
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