At a glance
More than 200 photographs and archival documents trace Carla Cerati’s dual life as an incisive documentary photographer and a dedicated novelist in 20th-century Italy.
Meet the artist
Why go
The show highlights Cerati’s rigorous civic engagement, moving from the stark reality of Italian psychiatric wards to the vibrant intellectual and theatrical circles of Milan.
You'll see
Morire di Classe series · Intellectual portraits · Theatre photography · Archival documents and books · Video material
Pace of visit
Expect a high-density experience with significant archival reading and video segments that bridge her visual and literary work.
Don't miss
The connection between her influential psychiatric hospital investigation and her broader ethics of representation across different social layers.
Artlovers Tip
Allow sufficient time for the archival displays, as the books and documents provide the necessary context to understand Cerati's photographic intent.
Inside the exhibition
Plurale femminile: Fotografia e scrittura, 1926–2026 at Palazzo Reale in Milan, Italy, presents a comprehensive look at the career of Carla Cerati. This exhibition examines the deep connection between Cerati’s visual output and her work as a writer, framing her as a pivotal figure in documentary and feminist practices.
The selection features over 200 photographs alongside books and archival documents. Key sections cover her landmark investigation into psychiatric institutions, published as Morire di Classe, as well as her portraits of cultural figures, theatre photography, and scenes of Milanese life. These works illustrate her evolution across photography, literature, and video from the mid-20th century onwards.
By placing her photographic prints alongside the texts she authored, the exhibition offers a nuanced reading of her civic ethics. It moves beyond a simple retrospective to show how Cerati used multiple media to document Italian social history and the feminist movement with a distinct, rigorous perspective.
Worth travelling for?
A dense and intellectually rewarding exhibition for those interested in the intersection of Italian social history, feminist activism, and documentary ethics.
Plurale femminile: Fotografia e scrittura, 1926–2026 — Carla Cerati
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