Art & Exhibitions
Must-See Art Guide: Italy
This week's guide includes Stanley Whitney, Thomas Struth, Gilberto Zorio, and more.
This week's guide includes Stanley Whitney, Thomas Struth, Gilberto Zorio, and more.
Tatiana Berg ShareShare This Article
Those of you lucky enough to be in Italy this week can’t afford to miss Artissima. As one Italy’s most important art fairs (sorry, Venice Biennale!), Artissima gathers 200 galleries from around the world in Torino for three days dedicated to celebrating the best of emerging artists and collectible contemporary art. And hey, since you’re in Italy already, why not jaunt around to different cities and check out what else is currently on view in the country’s best galleries? Our guide has got you covered, from Florence to Naples.
Grab a stiff espresso, and hop aboard a train to Milan, because this stylish city is packed with shows of every stripe, from painting to sound art to…snail art? First stop, Monica de Cardenas, to see Thomas Struth’s latest show of large-scale photographs documenting three very different subjects: scientific research centers, Disneyland California, and Israel and the West Bank. Next, head to Brand New Gallery to enjoy Ry David Bradley’s dreamy, psychedelic digital paintings. He sources his images from the New York Library archive of rare pictures, and uses a complex technique of heated dyes on suede to achieve a uniquely gorgeous surface, so be sure to see these in person while you can. Once you’ve had your fill, visit celebrated American painter Stanley Whitney’s debut exhibition with Lisson Gallery, featuring his signature, blocky abstraction. Before leaving Milan, don’t forget to stop by Nicolas Party’s whimsically named “Snails’ Chapel”—which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. A site-specific installation, Party fully transforms one of the rooms of Kaufmann Repetto gallery into a frescoed, early-Renaissance-esque chapel dedicated to the humble snail. It’s a playful, tongue-in-cheek gesture, and a very charming one.
From there, let’s skip around to different destinations: In Venice, there’s the long-running installation of Igor Mitoraj’s classical, poetic sculptural fragments at Gallerie d’Arte Contini. While you’re there, you should also make time for the Guggenheim Venice collection, currently exhibiting the paintings of V.S. Gaitonde. In Florence, Il Ponte hosts Jan Fabre’s first solo exhibition, consisting of a grand narrative film following the journey of a fairytale knight—played by the artist himself, of course. In Naples, Galleria Lia Rumma displays the interdisciplinary work of Gilberto Zorio, including neon signs, a bowl of sulfur, and mechanized sculpture, so be sure and stop by to piece it all together. Lastly, let’s visit Rome for the MAXXI, or the National Museum of Art from the 21st Century. The building itself, designed by Zaha Hadid, is worth the visit alone, and you can currently see an exhibition of photographer and filmmaker Olivio Barbieri on display.
Had enough yet? If that’s a yes, prop up your feet and enjoy a bellini, a negroni, or something else Italian and lovely. It’s been a good trip for art and art lovers all around.
Exhibition: “Gilberto Zorio”
When: September 20–December 19, 2015
Where: Galleria Lia Rumma, Via Vannella Gaetani 12, Naples, Italy
Exhibition: “Enrico Castellani”
When: September 22–December 31, 2015
Where: Cardi Gallery, Corso di Porta Nuova 38, Milan, Italy
Exhibition: “RY DAVID BRADLEY: Where Do You Want To Go Today?”
When: September 24–November 7, 2015
Where: Brand New Gallery, Via Farini 32, Milan, Italy
Exhibition: “Peter Vogel – Ritmi cibernetici”
When: October 2–November 20, 2015
Where: MAAB S.r.l., Via Nerino 3, Milan, Italy
Exhibition: “Tobias Zielony ‘Tell me something about you’”
When: October 20–December 20, 2015
Where: Galleria Lia Rumma, Via Stilicone 19, Milan, Italy
Exhibition: “A Homage to Igor Mitoraj”
When: May 1–November 30, 2015
Where: Galleria d’Arte Cortini, San Marco 2288, Calle Larga XXII Marzo, Venice, Italy
Exhibition: “Nicolas Party: Snails’ Chapel”
When: September 17–November 17, 2015
Where: Kaufmann Repetto, Via di Porta Tenaglia, Milan, Italy
Exhibition: “Jon Fabre: knight of the night”
When: October 2–December 18, 2015
Where: Galleria Il Ponte, Via di Mezzo 42/b, Florence, Italy
Exhibition: “Thomas Struth”
When: September 23–November 28, 2015
Where: Monica De Cardenas, Via Francesco Viganò 4, Milan, Italy
Exhibition: “Stanley Whitney: Paintings”
When: October 2–November 12, 2015
Where: Lisson Gallery, Via Zenale 3, Milan
Exhibition: “VICTORIA STOIAN – Rallenting. Codri Earthquake”
When: October 2–November 12, 2015
Where: Lisson Gallery, Via Zenale 3, Milan
Exhibition: “V.S. Gaitonde: Painting as Process, Painting as Life”
When: October 10–January 10, 2016
Where: Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Dorsoduro 701, Venice, Italy
Exhibition: “Olivio Barbieri: Images 1978–2014”
When: May 29–January 3, 2016
Where: MAXXI, Via Guido Reni, Rome, Italy