Rediscovering art through the lens of the milanese master
The grand exhibition “Ugo Mulas. The Photographic Operation” hosted at Palazzo Reale in Milan represents an important retrospective dedicated to the Milanese photographer, considered one of the most influential of the 20th century. The event, which will take place from October 2024 to February 2025, explores the entire career of the artist, emphasising his innovative techniques and his commitment to documenting the contemporary art world, particularly his collaborations with artists such as Andy Warhol, Lucio Fontana, and Marcel Duchamp.
Many previously unseen works accompany the Ugo Mulas retrospective, offering a comprehensive view of his career with a special focus on his relationship with Milan, particularly the Brera district. After moving to the Lombard capital in 1948, Mulas attended an evening life drawing course at the Accademia di Brera and began frequenting Bar Jamaica, a meeting place for artists and intellectuals such as Piero Manzoni and Luciano Bianciardi. It was within this creative environment that Mulas began his self-taught career, eventually transitioning to photojournalism and documenting the Venice Biennale from 1954 to 1972.
In addition to the main exhibition, however, the project “Ugo Mulas in the City” expands the celebration of the photographer through various venues in different parts of Milan, with a particular focus on the artistic district of Brera. This widespread initiative offers the opportunity to explore Mulas’ connection to the city and his impact on the Milanese cultural scene.
The Itinerant Exhibitions in Milan
One of the highlights of this project is the collaboration with the Pinacoteca di Brera, where a selection of photographs exploring the relationship between photography and painting will be on display—two worlds that Mulas uniquely blended. His images not only document the masterpieces of painting, but through his gaze, new meanings are created, transforming photography into a medium for reinterpreting art.
Museo Poldi Pezzoli offers a journey that highlights the link between classical art and photography, investigating how Ugo Mulas used his lens to reinterpret ancient artworks, creating a dialogue between past and present. This venue becomes a point of reflection on how photography can make classical art accessible in new forms.
At Palazzo Citterio, dedicated to contemporary art, photographs documenting the world of modern art and the role of Milan as a nerve centre of this movement will be exhibited. The images presented here by Mulas will narrate the interaction between photography and urban architecture, focusing on the impact his work has had in representing the ever-evolving city.
Finally, not far from Brera: Palazzo Morando, known for its collection of art and costumes, the emphasis is on the connection between photography and fashion, two fields strongly intertwined in the 1960s and 1970s, a period when Milan was a global centre of style. Here, Mulas captured the elegance and atmosphere of the city through images that recount not only fashion but also society and cultural change. On the other hand, the Museo del Novecento, another important centre of contemporary art in Milan, hosts a selection of photographs documenting the artists and artistic movements of the 20th century, highlighting the intimate connection between Mulas and the protagonists of the art scene of that period.
These itinerant exhibitions create a meaningful journey, exploring the various aspects of Mulas’ work and his impact on photography and contemporary art. The venues offer a multidisciplinary perspective, embracing fashion, painting, classical and contemporary art, making Milan a grand stage to rediscover one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.
The main exhibition at Palazzo Reale, along with the itinerant displays in the Brera district and other prestigious venues, allows for a renewed appreciation of Ugo Mulas’ work, paying homage to an artist who profoundly influenced photography and contemporary art. This widespread path not only invites the public to reflect on the importance of photography as an expressive medium but also encourages them to explore Milan and its rich cultural fabric, in a journey that unites past and present, classical and contemporary art.
Visitors who attend more than one exhibition will benefit from reduced admission prices, creating an incentive to fully explore the circuit and discover how Mulas’ photography interacts with different artistic contexts and languages.
For more information on tickets and accessibility of the various venues visit the website
