Pathosformel

Pathosformel presents works by Michele Ciacciofera at Michel Rein Brussels. The exhibition draws inspiration from Aby Warburg's theory of pathos formulas and explores the concept of social memory and the engram, connecting classical antiquity to contemporary visual and cultural experiences.

Ciacciofera reinterprets details from Renaissance artworks, placing them in abstract, metaphysical settings. Figures are depicted without recognizable faces or full bodies, their gestures and movements conveying empathy. The works aim to transcend traditional art historical boundaries, celebrating the enduring influence of classicism through a synthesis of Apollonian and Dionysian elements. The exhibition features 80 small-format paintings and a large triptych, with the artist seeking to engage the viewer's unconscious and memory through intertwined mnemonic traces.