Niki Berlinguer. La signora degli arazzi

“La signora degli arazzi - Lady of the Tapestries” is the nickname given to Niki Berlinguer, stage name of Corinna Adelaide Augusta Fidelia. The Casina delle Civette of Villa Torlonia hosts for the first time an exhibition of 20th century textile art and dedicates a retrospective to the works created with the ancient technique of the petit point by the famous weaver, second wife of Mario Berlinguer, father of Giovanni and Enrico, the famous secretary of the Italian Communist Party.

The tapestries on display, most of which are little known and have not been visible to the general public for a long time, testify to her stylistic refinement and technical skill, and establish an evocative dialogue with the Art Nouveau stained glass windows and architectures of the fairy-tale, bizarre and fascinating Casina. With a few exceptions, for example “Uccello di fuoco” from 1982 and  from 1983, the tapestries reinterpret the works of great masters such as Hans Hartung, Paul Klee, Vincent van Gogh, Renato Guttuso or Emilio Vedova. However, they are never mere copies of the models they imitate, but true re-interpretations, according to her flair and taste, always mediated by her view.

For the occasion, the Sovrintendenza Capitolina, as part of the initiatives aimed at enhancing the rich heritage of its collections, is presenting two works by the artist from the Museo di Roma at Palazzo Braschi and from the Sovrintendenza’s art collection in the deposits of the MACRO Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome. The exhibition is also enriched by the artist’s last video interview from January 1994.