Nero Barocco: bestiario lazzarone

"Nero Barocco: bestiario lazzarone" presents a collection of previously unseen sculptures (in terracotta and metal) by Nero/Alessandro Neretti, created specifically for the exhibition and the venue About From 1 October 2026, the historic rooms of Palazzo Cavallerini Lazzaroni in Rome will host Nero Barocco: bestiario lazzarone, an exhibition project by the artist Nero/Alessandro Neretti. Organised by Zuecca Projects, the project presents a collection of previously unseen sculptures (in terracotta and metal), created specifically for the exhibition and the venue. Arising from a dialogue between the physicality of moulded clay and the artistic legacy of the Roman Baroque, the works do not merely allude to the past, but rather act as visual devices that interrogate the space, transforming historical allusions and grotesque figures into an ironic and carnal sculptural narrative. The installation comprises a series of two-dimensional sculptures which the artist conceives as Baroque entities intrinsic to the identity of Palazzo Lazzaroni. They are imagined as latent presences which re-emerge today, asserting their belonging to the space with renewed expressive force as if they had long remained concealed within the building’s layers of masonry. The iconography of the works draws directly from the palace’s frescoes and the Roman monumental tradition – an imagery densely populated by heads, monstrous figures and intertwining vegetation. The aim is to bring to life a Baroque bestiary capable of triggering a tense dialogue with the architecture and historical stratification of the city. The conceptual framework of the project lies in the “bestiario lazzarone” (lazzarone bestiary) of the title, which stems from a play on words based on the venue’s name and carries with it an irreverent and visceral resonance. The Italian term ‘lazzarone’ – which has its roots in the biblical Lazarus and in the figure of the rogue and rebellious commoner from 17th-century Naples – evokes a dual nature; on the one hand, there is a celebration of idleness and an almost sacred laziness, and on the other, the attitude of the ‘malandrino’, the scoundrel who operates in the shadows. This semantic reference fits perfectly with the spirit of the project, where Nero’s works behave like rouge monsters – brazen figures that occupy the monumental palace to restore it to a more earthly, authentic and uninhibited dimension. Read more Toggle Sculpture Mixed media Crafts