Jonathan Meese exhibits in Rome with “ART Is Total Family-Business”

Tim Van Laere Gallery, in its new location in Rome, hosts “ART IS TOTAL “FAMILY BUSINESS”!, AGRIPPINA=ARTMOTHERZ, NERO=ARTSOLDIER (CÄSAREN-ROULETTE, NO PROBLEM, YEAH)”,  Jonathan Meese  ’s sixth solo exhibition at the gallery since 2011 and his first show in the heart of the Italian capital. 

Dadaism, Expressionism, Beuys, Neuen Wilden, and a wealth of personal energy are also the foundations of this new exhibition, whose subject is the history of ancient imperial Rome, exploring historical figures such as Agrippina, Nero, and Caesar, viewed with rebellious and deliberately naive enthusiasm. A diverse display of paintings, drawings, sculptures, posters, and a video, it testifies to Meese's versatility and vision of art as a "total game," a boundless territory where everything is permitted and censorship has no place. The artist imagines himself as a "Caesar of art," inviting the public to join him in this total creative cosplay, where art transcends political or religious opinions, becoming the ultimate expression of metabolism and love.

An immersion in the multifaceted art of Meese.
Jonathan Meese, an artist born in Tokyo in 1970 and currently residing between Berlin and Ahrensburg, is known for his eclectic art, ranging from exuberant paintings and whimsical installations to exciting performances, literary works, and imposing sculptures in various media. Through a personal mythology rich in symbols, neologisms, and metaphors, Meese captivates the public, distinguishing himself with a unique visual energy that, according to curator Robert Fleck, has not been matched since the days of Picasso. Meese's exhibition in Rome presents itself as an ode to art, which the artist considers the true legislative power of a new world order founded on creative freedom.
Indeed, for Meese, only art exists in the world—or, as he likes to say, the "dictatorship of art." Everything else is illusion or error.

We invite you to consult the artist's profile to view the currently available works by Jonathan Meese and others.

Jonathan Meese's exhibition “ART IS TOTAL “FAMILY BUSINESS”!” can be visited at the Tim Van Laere Gallery in Rome, Via Giulia 98, from February 10 to April 27, 2024.