“The only difference between immortal Greece and the present time, is Sigmund Freud, who discovered that the human body is full of secret drawers that only psychoanalysis is capable of opening”.
Salvador Dalí
This summer, the town of Vieste becomes the gateway to the subconscious with an extraordinary exhibition dedicated to Salvador Dalí.
Titled “In the Mind of the Master”, the exhibition invites visitors into the visionary universe of the Master of Surrealism from 11 July to 31 August 2025, within the evocative setting of the Community Library – Ex Convento San Francesco.
Curated by Giuseppe Benvenuto and organized in collaboration with the Municipality of Vieste and the Dalí Universe, the exhibition brings together around seventy works from the prestigious Dalí Universe collection.
Among the highlights are museum sculptures, watercolours, original lithographs, etchings, photographs, and rare mixed-media works, all exploring the rich intersection of art and psychoanalysis.
The exhibition revolves around a central theme: the mind. Salvador Dalí’s fascination with dreams, subconscious impulses, and Freudian theory is on full display through iconic works such as “Dance of Time III”, featuring the famous melting clock, and “Snail and the Angel”, a deeply personal homage to the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud.
“In the Mind of the Master” exhibition also includes a rare etching titled “Psychoanalysis: Freud”, accompanied by Dalí’s original printing plate.
Visitors can also admire pieces from the enigmatic “Tarot” series, created in mixed techniques combining collage, gouache, and watercolour. Each work offers symbolic insights into Dalí’s inner world and his interpretation of archetypes and the unconscious.
The exhibition marks the third and final chapter of Vieste’s ambitious cultural program for 2025. Following the success of exhibitions dedicated to Steve McCurry and Jeff Koons, Salvador Dalí’s presence represents the culmination of this bold initiative.
“With Dalí, we close a circle that is actually a spiral”, said Graziamaria Starace, Cultural Program Director for the Municipality of Vieste. “Each exhibition has elevated the cultural axis of our city: from McCurry’s suspended humanity to Koons’ reflective irony, we now step into the mind of a true master, where art becomes a portal to the collective unconscious”.
Mayor Giuseppe Nobiletti echoed this sentiment: “This exhibition, like the others before it, is a political statement. Vieste chooses to be a place of thought, not just a tourist destination. Our vision is to build a conscious community by bringing deep content to the public square and letting global creativity speak through local spaces”.
The Community Library, housed in the historic Ex Convento San Francesco, offers a dynamic space where the cultural heritage meets art. The venue, increasingly recognized as a cultural incubator, reflects Vieste’s commitment to making culture not only accessible but essential.
The exhibition “In the Mind of the Master” will remain open to the public until Sunday, August 31, 2025.