The historic rooms of Palazzo Cavallerini Lazzaroni in Rome will host the solo exhibition “Intuitive Force” by the renowned Romanian painter Ioan Sbârciu up to 12 July 2026.
Sbârciu's painting engages with literature and philosophical thought
On display a selection of medium- and large-scale works, conceived as a visual journey in which the practice of painting engages with the traditions of literature and philosophical thought. These are not merely scholarly references, but active, integral components of his artistic practice. The choice of venue is no coincidence: the thematic connection between art and written thought fits perfectly within the palace’s spaces, which also house a historic bookshop on the ground floor. On a subconscious level, Ioan Sbârciu works through archetypal intuitions and symbolic figurations that emerge as deep-seated layers of literary and philosophical imagery, introspection and analysis of reality. On a rational level, his artistic exploration unfolds in constant dialogue with the theories of Umberto Eco and Giorgio Agamben, with the poetic philosophy of Lucian Blaga, as well as through direct engagement with the philosopher Aurel Codoban and the poet Ion Mureșan.
On the borderline between figuration and abstraction
On the tenth anniversary of Umberto Eco’s death, the exhibition takes on an even deeper significance, highlighting the extraordinary affinities between the thought of the great Italian intellectual (and author of "In the Name of the Rose") and the figure of Sbârciu. On a formal level, Sbârciu’s painting lies on the borderline between figuration and abstraction and from this perspective, the work engages in a dialogue with Eco’s thinking, according to which meaning arises from the interpretation of signs within open systems. 
Open daily in Via dei Barbieri 7, Rome
Sbârciu’s painting thus becomes a visual expression of the concept of the "open work" coined by Eco, in which meaning is never definitive but unfolds as an expanding possibility. Within this process, the viewer is called upon to engage in an activity that Eco terms "creative abduction:" starting from the visual signs, they formulate interpretative hypotheses, gradually constructing the meaning of the work. “Intuitive Force” celebrates painting as a space where matter and thought meet. Intuitive Force Ioan Sbârciu 11 June – 12 July 2026. Open daily 10.30 am – 8.00 pm. Palazzo Cavallerini Lazzaroni, Via dei Barbieri 7, Rome.
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