‘The exhibition, organised by Prof. Mario De Micheli, gathers together 30 works by 30 artists from 3 different generations of the 20th century. The artists are: Birolli, Borra, Carrà, Cassinari, De Chirico, De Pisis, De Stefano, Dudreville, Faraoni, Farulli, Fer-roni, Francese, Guerreschi, Guttu-so, Marcucci, Marussis, Migneco, Morelli, Pirandello, Rosai, Sassu, Savinio, Semeghini, Sironi, Sughi, Treccani, Vaglieri, Vagnetti, Ve-spignani and Viani. All the works depict faces and figures which, on one hand, show 30 different ways of approaching the same themes, and on the other hand share the intent of a direct contact with reality. They all reach an explicit communication of the image, although in different ways by generation and poetical message. The representation of man is more and more difficult to find in modern art, and is presently in danger. In the historical moment in which the identity of man, his integrity and freedom are discussed, there is in art a total lack of interest for the human figure; this has been true in the last decades of art history and seems even truer amongst the latest neo-avantgardes. In the presentation of the exhibition in the catalogue, Mario De Micheli poses the following question: “… is it still possible, nowadays, to go back to painting a portrait?”. How is this possible in a time when the reality and identity of man lose meaning and remain obscure, when the relationship with reality is mediated by communication means and instruments, when the diversity of each experience gets flattened down and each individuality is more and more impenetrable and impossible to communicate? The image of man and the painted image have always posed themselves as problems, but contemporary artists have devoted themselves to it with ever-increasing difficulty. One issue though remains: grasping the essence of modern man, of his space and reality. This has always characterised art till present times. The artists put together by Mario De Micheli share the same need for an image which would directly consider the space and the reality of man, and therefore, ultimately, his face. Naturally, not all the artists who have centred their interest around the image of man are present in this exhibition; nor can the exhibition give an answer to the questions which arise from it. It simply stands as a provocation for artists and visitors, as well as starting an explicit discussion on the subject. It aims at being a point where completely different realities can meet and verify themselves, still within a common tension towards the reality of the image, which moves all these artists.’