La diabolica commedia: Prelude

Presented by German conceptual artist Niclas Castello, the exhibition showcases a new body of work that continues his exploration of one of the most important works of world literature, Dante Alighieri’s Divina Commedia. Developed since 2022, the project comprises more than 220 drawings that translate the 14th-century epic into a contemporary visual language.

Fascinated by Dante’s narrative throughout his career, Castello now offers a deeply personal interpretation of the poet’s journey through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, at a significant moment in his life and artistic career. Seeking to extend Dante’s work, Castello expands the narrative of the Divine Comedy to encompass the course of history up to 2026. Following Dante’s approach, he assigns historical figures and events from the intervening centuries to the corresponding circles of Hell.

The result is a highly personal interpretation of this canonical work, reflecting on the relationship between individual experience and collective history. Conceived at the intersection of literature, history and visual art, the project represents an ongoing exploration of how classical narratives can be reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.