“And so we went slow, because that’s the way we thought life worked; that we just had to tear along the dotted line, very slowly, following that dotted line to our destiny, and everything would happen as it was supposed to. Because we were only seventeen, and we had all the time in the world.” From a series of important successes such as Tear along the dotted line to a solo exhibition in Milan, Michele Rech, better known as Zerocalcare, comes to Milan as an all-round artist.

Born in 1983, a cartoonist, screenwriter and now artist, Zerocalcare will be exhibiting from 17 December to 23 April 2023 at the Fabbrica del Vapore, with an exhibition entitled Dopo il Botto.

One of the most interesting and complex voices of social protest on the Italian cultural scene, in Milan, Rech presents a study of social fragmentation in the wake of the pandemic; fear, isolation, a rich portfolio of phobias, solitude, the loss of daily habits and the ever-present political protest.

The exhibition, curated by Silvia Barbagallo and produced by Arthemisia, presents more than 500 plates, illustrations, videos and sketches depicting an imaginary post-apocalyptic city. Buildings struck by a planetary cataclysm that lead the visitor to an inevitable reflection on the sudden and drastic change in our lives during the pandemic. The typical characters, in some way Zerocalcare’s style, are cornerstones in this new adventure, from Cinghiale to Secco, to Lady Cocca. These are joined by the saints, who not only play a symbolic role, but add a significant cultural touch, both through references to ancient arts; they are depicted on canvas with gold leaf, a reference to Medieval casting, and for their essence as warriors against the inequity and injustice of contemporary life. The exhibition also embraces heroic figures who sacrificed their lives through memorable acts, including Robin Hood and Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana.

The exhibition catalogue has been published by Bao Publishing, as is the case with all of Zerocalcare’s books in Italy.