Retrospettivi

Retrospettivi is the plural form of retrospettiva, an Italian term used for a curated survey or exhibition that surveys an artist’s body of work or a specific theme over a period of time. In arts and culture, a retrospettiva gathers representative works to show an artist’s development, influences, and contribution, typically accompanied by critical texts, didactic materials, and contextual information.

In cinema, film retrospectives are common at museums and festivals, presenting a director’s complete oeuvre or a thematic slice of their career. They often feature restored prints, new restorations or scores, and scholarly catalogs that place the works in historical and aesthetic context. In the visual arts, theatres, and literature, retrospettive projects similarly aim to reassess an author’s, filmmaker’s, or artist’s place within art history and to illuminate connections across periods or movements.

A retrospettiva typically includes a curated sequence of works, an accompanying catalog or publication, and related events such as talks, panel discussions, or screenings. The goals are education, critical re-evaluation, preservation, and broad public engagement, enabling audiences to trace evolution, themes, and technique over time.

Beyond the arts, the term is also used in Agile project management by Italian-speaking teams to denote a retrospective—an end-of-iteration meeting that reflects on processes and outcomes to plan improvements. The word derives from retro- “back” and spettiva “view,” signaling a looking back to understand and learn from what has been done.