FRANCESCO BERTOCCO : Role-Play

Lucie Fontaine is proud to present “Role-Play,” a solo show by Italian artist Francesco Bertocco. The exhibition features two works: a two-channel video installation entitled Role-Play (2012) and a video entitled Setting (2012). The show will open on November 20 from 7 to 9 pm.

Among many definitions, role-play is a particular type of exercise where whoever participates is requested – for a limited time – to become an ‘actor’ and to play a specific role. While one section of the participants is playing, the rest observes the contents and the processes manifested during the acting. The goal of a role-play is to make the participants aware of their behaviors, highlighting the feelings conveyed during the situations it creates through the scope of subjectivity as well as the modality of presentation in terms of relationship and communication.

In psychotherapy, role-play is mainly used to showcase a model of ethical codes that take place between the psychotherapist and the patient, usually at their first contact. During psychotherapy part of the therapists’ training goes through case studies and related case history. The clinical studies and the type of patients are chosen for their capacity to represent a model.

Role-Play consists of seven mise-en-scènes of psychotherapy with selected patients showing their relationship with their therapists during important aspects of their treatment. Each scene is entirely recreated and shot in a studio, and the same studio is also the protagonist of Setting, the second work included in the exhibition. 

Francesco Bertocco was born in 1983 in Milan where he lives and works. He studied Modern Literature at Università degli Studi di Milano and Visual Art at Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera both in Milan. His work has been exhibited at r o o m in Milan – where he had a solo show – Fondazione Merz in Turin, Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato and Careof-DOCVA in Milan, among others. 

Lucie Fontaine is located in via Rinaldo Rigola 1 in Milan and is open only by appointment. If you need further information please contact Lucie Fontaine’s employees at heloise.luciefontaine@gmail.com and licorne.luciefontaine@gmail.com.