In March 2025, the ADEC ARTE space in Milan hosted an exhibition of exceptional documentary and artistic value: “Joe Tilson. For Pericles, Prince of Tyre.” The showcase explored the profound connection between the British master and the works of William Shakespeare, focusing on a unique moment in the history of Milanese theater.
A Unique Foray into Stage Design
Curated by Gaia Passaler and Roberto Borghi, the exhibition celebrated what was Joe Tilson’s first and only stage design. A central figure of the London Pop Art scene, Tilson lent his genius to the Teatro Arsenale during the 1997-1998 season for Pericles, Prince of Tyre, directed by Marina Spreafico. The collaboration was famously sparked by a suggestion from the poet and translator Roberto Sanesi.
Symbols and Intuition: Tilson’s Labyrinth
The exhibition highlighted Tilson’s lifelong fascination with the poetics of metamorphosis. Through the displayed works, visitors observed the fusion of Shakespearean text with the artist’s persistent investigation into archaic symbols:
- The Labyrinth and the Spiral: Geometric figures acting as maps for a spiritual and metaphorical journey of “loss and finding.”
- Visual Hermeticism: Greek letters and shapes in vibrant colors that transformed the stage into a captivating, unresolved enigma.