Gagosian Rome explores realism

Gagosian in Rome always has a fascinating programme of exhibitions. The mega gallery Italian outpost presents Mirrored Fiction (February 11–April 11, 2026), an exhibition pairing Duane Hanson’s sculptures with works by artists including Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Andreas Gursky, Jeff Koons, Adam McEwen, and Bruce Nauman.

The show explores realism and how the “real” continues to circulate today, how everyday life is staged, seen, and consumed through bodies, images, and social spaces. Have social media got some impact on our artists think? Each artist approaches this differently, but all are focused on the materials and experiences of the everyday.

At the centre of the exhibition are Duane Hanson’s hyperrealistic sculptures of ordinary Americans. Made in the context of Pop art, these lifelike figures blur the line between art and reality, touching on themes of work, visibility, class, and social identity with directness and empathy.

Key works include Hanson’s Window Washer (1984), shown alongside Andreas Gursky’s large-scale photograph Politik II (2020), and Jeff Koons’s mirror-polished Donkey (1999), which reflects the viewer and plays with ideas of desire, self-image, and consumption.

Beyond their realism, Hanson’s figures are quietly political. They address themes of class, labour, consumer culture, and social visibility, often highlighting people who are overlooked in daily life. Sometimes awkward or unglamorous, his sculptures are empathetic and sharply observant, offering a powerful portrait of American society in the late 20th century. An amazing starting point for this great exhibition.

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