Pier Paolo Pasolini was one of the most outstanding, enigmatic characters of the European intelligentsia in the latter half of the twentieth century. As the author of poetry in the language of his Friulian homeland, of novels and theoretical essays, as the director of remarkable films, but also as a graphic artist and painter, he primarily directed his attention to timeless, archaic themes: the fate of humanity, peasant life, religion, sexuality, death. He constantly moved outside of accepted norms, inventing images of extraordinary clarity and focus, and thus became one of the greatest provocateurs in Italian society. Published in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of Pasolini's death, this book provides insight into his moral concepts and ideals, using his essays, films, drawings, and paintings. One of the book's various propositions is that, from an early point on, Pasolini's understanding of art and his world view carried within them the idea of violent death, which, ultimately, he might have consciously sought out in order to reconcile his life and work. (English edition ISBN 978-3-7757-1633-8) Exhibition schedule: Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, November 17, 2005-February 5, 2006