One, Five, Twelve. Eighty Years of Premio Strega

Promoted by the Assessorato alla Cultura di Roma Capitale and Azienda Speciale Palaexpo, and produced by the Bellonci Foundation and Strega, in collaboration with BPER Banca, Persol and the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, the exhibition at the MACRO museum, curated by Maria Luisa Frisa and Mario Lupano, traces the history of the prize established in 1947 by the writer Maria Bellonci thanks to the patronage of Guido Alberti, producer of Strega liqueur.

Set in a single room, with a design by the architectural firm Supervoid and graphic design by Caneva-Nishimoto, the exhibition offers a multi-layered analysis of Italy’s most coveted literary award, which reflected the country’s cultural and linguistic changes. The room presents the prize’s “ideal library”, comprising over a thousand volumes selected from the seventy-nine editions held to date, arranged in a chronological sequence that weaves together publishing events, key figures and media narratives. The uninterrupted “photographic strip” running along the perimeter stages the drama and “spectacular” rituals of the voting, whilst the short texts in the small volume of captions (designed as a pocket book to keep) illustrate the key events of each year, making the act of reading an integral part of the exhibition experience.

Inside the room, a diorama recreates the living room of Casa Bellonci, which now houses the Foundation. Here, original objects and works of art bring to life the creative workshop conceived and run by Maria Bellonci, the place where writers, publishers and artists shaped the history of the prize.