Exhibition of the members of la Permanente, curated by the Artistic Commission 2022-2023: Angela Maria Capozzi, Carlo Catiri, Massimo Romani. Museo della Permanente, Milan. 10-24 March 2023
The ACQUAROSA recipe, invented by Leonardo Da Vinci, dating from around 1517, is contained in the Codex Atlanticus and is kept in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan. I have tried to depict this original recipe, the theme being among my favourite ones in my artistic research. However, with the work I do not want to express my intention to understand the content of the recipe by reading it, but I want ‘the painting’, i.e. the image depicted to be looked at and understood like any other painting. I want to ‘write a painting’. I understand indecipherable writing written backwards, as a form of communication between people who do not understand my language; my goal would be for the ‘reader’ observer to hear a dialogue through the picture. Actually, the drink Acquarosa is a special recipe. By mixing all the ingredients indicated by Leonardo, a pleasant, thirst-quenching drink can be obtained and is considered by Leonardo to be an aphrodisiac. Drunk in pleasant company it could help create a cheerful atmosphere and -maybe-forget the greyness of everyday life for a while. Monika Wolf