Mamma mia! Milan display takes on motherhood

MILAN -Curator Massimiliano Gioni said there was some sarcasm in the selection of motif “because motherhood along with the mamma is a portion of the Italian stereotype, and we wished to play with that.”

“The more you dig to the concept of motherhood in the 20th century, it’s the area where many conflicts are fought,” Mr. Gioni, who’s artistic director at the Nicola Trussardi Foundation that coordinated the show as well as the New Museum in New York, said by phone from New York.

Tuesday, the display, which previewed, focuses on motherhood as a kind of nourishment to accompany the Expo theme of feeding earth, and features 400 works by 139 artists, including Yoko Ono and Cindy Sherman. Mr. Gioni said the show features many instances of girls playing with the picture of what motherhood is assumed to project.

“It isn’t a gallery of amazing Madonnas and stereotypical moms, however a far more complete history of the 20th century,” he said.