Expositio Mundi

The city of Macerata hosts 'Expositio Mundi', a citywide art exhibition curated by Lorenzo Benedetti with Giuliana Pascucci that explores the history of exhibitions and the evolution of display as a cultural language, civic tool, and public practice. The exhibition route brings together ancient and contemporary masterpieces across three of the city's landmark venues: the Civic Museums of Palazzo Buonaccorsi, the Sferisterio, and the Mozzi Borgetti Library. The focal point of the itinerary is the figure of Giuseppe Ghezzi (1634–1721), who in Rome in 1676 inaugurated the very first exhibition of paintings drawn from private collections, laying the groundwork for the modern concept of public-access exhibitions. Celebrating 350 years since that historic event, the exhibition creates a dialogue between Ghezzi's insights and artworks, sculptures, videos, installations, and site-specific pieces by renowned international contemporary artists including Joseph Beuys, Giulio Paolini, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Maurizio Nannucci, Ed Atkins, Adelaide Cioni, and Fabrizio Cotognini. The experience is further enriched by '3500 cm²', a project conceived in 2004 by Lorenzo Benedetti: a series of 50×70 cm poster-sized reproductions distributed free of charge inside the venues and across urban spaces, taking art beyond museum walls. The initiative is promoted and organized by the Municipality of Macerata, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Macerata, and the University of Macerata – 'G. Leopardi' School of Advanced Studies.