Artist Reimagines Caravaggio for Modern Audiences

Marco Tamburro presents ‘Caravaggio Forever’, an exhibition of over 40 paintings at Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome, Italy, opening July 16 and running to August 23, that reinterprets the works of the Baroque master. Tamburro doesn’t imitate Caravaggio but instead draws inspiration from the themes of fragility, humanity, and struggle present in the artist’s oeuvre.

He incorporates contemporary elements into his paintings, such as a banana secured with tape referencing Maurizio Cattelan, and images of Batman and police officers. The exhibition, curated by Giulia Silvia Ghia, is divided into six sections exploring themes like desire, faith, and urban life.

Alongside the paintings, visitors can view documents related to Caravaggio’s life and a documentary about Tamburro’s artistic process. Tamburro aims to demonstrate the continuing relevance of Caravaggio’s work by highlighting parallels between the 17th century and the present day. The project involved collaboration between numerous cultural institutions, including the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Maltese Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs.