WHAT? Ketty La Rocca: You You

WHERE? Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 39a Canonbury Square, London N1 2AN

WHEN? Now until 21 December

WHY GO? For first-hand conceptual art. Always guaranteed to entice culture lovers by introducing Italian artists to a wider audience, the Estorick showcases the work of Ketty La Rocca whose conceptual art is the focus of a small exhibition exploring the visual language of words. La Rocca had a short but celebrated career and was only 38 when she died in 1976, but her conceptual artwork had already received acclaim in the 1972 Venice Biennale and was shown again in 1978 after her death. Working in Florence, La Rocca was a founding member of the avant-garde collective Gruppo 70, famed for pushing the boundaries of what constituted art in post-war Italy. She created a language of visual poetry and explored the dynamics of hands as an art form to express and communicate. It was radically progressive at the time, perhaps even so today, but there is something mesmerising about her obsession with hands considering feminists today are all busy tattooing theirs. La Rocca’s paper collages dissecting current affairs of the day are all on show, along with her famous “show of hands” imagery, making for a provocative portrait of how art is in the eye of the beholder.

IN THE KNOW The trailblazing La Rocca and her contemporary Italian female artists will be the subject of a cultural symposium on 11 November organised by the Estorick in conjunction with Royal Holloway University. Tickets include a drinks reception and private tour, details online.