A SHOW-EVENT THAT TRANSFORMS THE WITCH INTO A CONTEMPORARY SYMBOL OF KNOWLEDGE, RESILIENCE, AND REBIRTH
An exhibition of striking visual impact, weaving together bold antique engravings, rare 16th-century esoteric texts, and talismans from past eras, offering a captivating glimpse into the mysterious world of witchcraft and the enigmatic figure of the witch.
Conceived as a kind of secular rite of passage, STREGHERIE is not just an art exhibition but an immersive, transformative experience. Far from fairy-tale caricatures or the nightmares of the Inquisition, the witch in this project is an archetype rich in meaning: a knowing woman, a bearer of forgotten wisdom, a voice that resists.
A SURPRISING NARRATIVE
The exhibition unfolds across nine narrative sections, each conceived as an initiatory portal guiding visitors through a journey of myth, body, knowledge, persecution, and rebirth. From the witch’s oracular and pre-Christian origins to her contemporary role as a symbol of political and cultural resistance, each room leads the audience through a process of transformation via artworks, installations, documents, and ritual objects.
The journey begins with the deep roots of the myth, immersing visitors in ancient cults, the symbolism of the primordial feminine, and oral narratives that gave rise to the witch archetype. The second section explores the body as embodied knowledge—a site of desire and rebellion: a body that resists normalization, yet knows and endures.
Next, visitors enter the realm of oblivion, where popular knowledge—natural medicine, herbalism, and magical practices—is restored to its cultural dignity. They then arrive at the Room of the Mark, which examines the historical and iconographic forces that constructed the demonic image of the witch, from medieval miniatures to inquisitorial propaganda.
The exhibition also traces the 19th century, when the witch reemerges as an evocative figure in the Romantic imagination, and arrives at the present day, where magic is reinterpreted through contemporary art. Here, the witch is no longer a marginal figure but an active symbol of autonomy, rebirth, and cultural power.
FEELING LIKE THE WITCH
Immersive experiences have always been the hallmark of Vertigo Syndrome exhibitions. Drawing inspiration from theatre, they aim to make the visitor an active participant, engaging the senses and emotions.
A key section of the exhibition, created in collaboration with the State Archive of Modena, focuses on a Witch Trial that took place in 1539. Visitors sit at the defendants’ bench and are placed at the center of the relentless accusations of the inquisitor and the increasingly exhausted responses of the accused woman, willing to confess obscene acts just to end her torment.
The exhibition concludes with a second immersive experience featuring mirrors, lights, and a central podium holding the Book of Shadows, an essential tool of every true witch. Equipped with pen and inkwell, visitors are invited to permanently share their personal thoughts and spells for future visitors to discover. The room is accompanied by a soundscape that heightens the emotional intensity of the experience.
A MYSTERY IN EVERY FRAGMENT
This new edition of the exhibition opens unprecedented windows into the mystery of witchcraft, with works never exhibited before offering new interpretations and surprising perspectives.
Among the most striking items are visionary 19th-century prints from the Invernizzi collection depicting fortune-teller figures, rare decks of Sibyls and Tarot cards from the curator’s private collection, and fascinating original objects rich in arcane symbolism, loaned by the Museum of Witchcraft in Turin.
The exhibition is completed by powerful paintings and sculptures on loan from prestigious collectors and antique dealers, including Aliprandi Antichità and Arte nel Tempo Pezzini. Each object holds a mystery, a fragment of hidden knowledge. Seeing them together in one space is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
