Andrea Pazienza is alive! A major exhibition opening at MAXXI shouts it

The MAXXI museum in Rome is opening a major exhibition titled "Non sempre si muore" dedicated to Andrea Pazienza, the legendary Italian underground comic artist. Curated by Giulia Ferracci and Oscar Glioti, the show opens on April 24, 2026, and runs until September 27, 2026. It features over 500 original drawings, including a monumental mural Pazienza created live at the 1987 Fiera del Fumetto in Naples, recently restored by the museum. The exhibition is the second chapter of a larger research project by MAXXI, following the earlier show "La matematica del segno" at MAXXI L'Aquila, which focused on Pazienza's formative years. The title quotes a phrase Pazienza said in 1988 to British host Clive Griffiths shortly before his death, underscoring the enduring vitality of his work.

This exhibition matters because it positions Pazienza not merely as a comic artist but as a major figure in contemporary Italian visual culture, whose work bridges underground comics, fine art, and social commentary. By presenting his oeuvre in a national museum context—the MAXXI, Italy's premier museum of contemporary art—the show elevates the status of graphic storytelling and challenges traditional hierarchies between high art and popular culture. It also demonstrates how museums can engage younger, diverse audiences through the visceral power of comics, while preserving and restoring fragile works like the Naples mural. The exhibition reaffirms Pazienza's relevance to current generations, who continue to discover his sharp, cynical, and deeply human vision.