In Verona, an exhibition on Fortunato Depero explores themes related to the table, food and places of consumption

From September 25, 2024 to March 1, 2025, EARTH Foundation presents in the spaces of the Specialized Refrigeration Station in Verona the exhibition Fortunato Depero. Thirst for Futurism, Hunger for America, produced in collaboration with the Mart, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trent and Rovereto, and theUniversity of Verona - Department of Cultures and Civilizations, under the curatorship of Federico Zanoner and Luca Bochicchio.

The exhibition aims to offer an in-depth analysis of the works of the celebrated painter, sculptor and designer Fortunato Depero (Fondo, 1892 - Rovereto, 1960). This project, which includes a wide selection of Futurist works housed at the Mart in Rovereto, explores the evolution of Depero’s artistic career from the 1910s to the 1950s, with a particular focus on themes related to the table, food and places of consumption.

The exhibition follows a chronological order, beginning in 1914, the year Depero came into contact with the Futurist movement in Rome. His “thirst for Futurism” led him to Rovereto, where in 1919 he founded the Casa d’Arte Futurista Depero, creating a total art environment extending from painting to applied and decorative arts. Prominent among the works on display are the 1922 installation of the Cabaret del Diavolo in Rome and the decoration of the Bar Bristol in Merano in 1924.

In the 1920s, with the beginning ofadvertising art, Depero began a fruitful collaboration with several companies, including Campari. Here, the artist expressed his ironic creativity, which became a hallmark and contributed to the international success of the famous aperitif. In 1928, Depero moved to New York, driven by the “hunger for America” that had nagged at him for years. Immersed in the atmosphere of the metropolis, amid fast-food restaurants, Prohibition, and banquets in skyscrapers, the artist devoted himself to decorating rooms and restaurants, developing strategies to promote himself and obtain commissions and business opportunities.

The return to Italy in 1930 marks a deepening on the theme of food, explored both through original illustrated recipes, inspired by the futurist cuisine of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Fillìa, and through a recovery of more traditional motifs, such as tavern scenes inspired by the Trentino context.

The exhibition explores the different techniques used by the artist during his career, among which stand out the 1938 tapestries used to decorate the Vi.Bi.Bar in Bolzano, and the “buxus,” a covering material used for advertising and decorative panels, which in 1940 became the protagonist in the setting of the Bottega del Vino in Trento.

The exhibition concludes in the 1950s with other advertising experiences, including close collaboration with Cantine Cavazzani and with Braibanti, a company specializing in pasta-making machinery. Completing the exhibition is a collection of documents from the artist’s historical archives, including manuscripts, correspondence and printed material, which accompany the works on display to offer visitors a comprehensive overview of the artistic and personal life of one of the protagonists of the Italian art scene of the first half of the 20th century.

EARTH Foundation would like to thank global partners Azimut investimenti, Deloitte, illycaffè, sponsors Allegrini, Borgogno Barolo, Fontanafredda, and technical sponsors Big S.r.l. Milan, Theke Museum and Tenute Lunelli, for supporting their exhibition and cultural programming.

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In Verona, an exhibition on Fortunato Depero explores themes related to the table, food and places of consumption

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