The body and death in the drawings of Aldo Rossi and their literary references

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in Aldo Rossi that has posited an alternative approach to his work, initiating incursions into the political, cultural and anthropological subtexts that his work offers. This article aims to contribute to these new readings with a tour of Rossi’s work that focuses on a fundamental theme in the studies of modern anthropology: the culture of the body and death as a central aspect of the most elementary human relationships. Through an investigation of some of Rossi’s less explored intellectual references, especially those of Georges Bataille, as well as other particularities of his work, seen mainly in his drawings, this study seeks to reveal this underlying substrate in the works of the Milanese architect and posits their relevance in understanding the deeper relationships that nourish the human experience.