VI Biennal of Photography on Industry and Work: Game 12 Exhibitions and 11 Venues in Bologna 18 October – 8 December 2023 www.fotoindustria.it This year’s Biennale Foto/Industria focusses on the game industry in photography. Promoted by the Fondazione MAST, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, 12 exhibitions by international artists are showing various approaches to… (read more)
In a first part we presented four exhibitions in Bologna, which were inaugurated shortly before or on the day of the contemporary (Giornata del Contemporaneo) on Saturday 7th October. Subsequently, we will introduce you to four further shows, all opened for this special occasion. They will all be visible for the next weeks, two of… (read more)
On Saturday 7th October was the 19th Day of the Contemporary (Giornata del Contemporaneo) in Italy. Promoted by the AMACI (Association of Italian Museums of Contemporary Art), this countrywide yearly event invites not only museums, but also foundations, public institutions, private galleries, artist spaces and studios to show the vitality of contemporary art. We visited… (read more)
Summer is over and the new exhibition season has started. In a first tour, we visited five exhibitions, four in Bologna and one in Florence. Galleria B4: Tamas Podraczky, Giovanni Buffa – Sulla ruota del tempo Gallleriapiù: Felicity Hammond – Deposits C2: L’orMa – Opere Esplosive! CAR DRDE: Alessandro Roma – Il tutto per… (read more)
Rubik Cube Chiara Dynys 2023 cast glass panes, gold leaf, light, frames variable dimensions The site-specific installation “Rubik Cube” by Chiara Dynys, is a composition of 16 single pieces of the artist’s series “Camini delle Fate” (Fairy Chimneys) on white ground and 14 rectangular colour fields arranged as a chessboard pattern. Over the course of… (read more)
Bologna, Italy 3 – 5 February 2023 www.artefiera.it Back at the traditional schedule and venue, the 46th Bolognese art fair attracted around 50.000 visitors and reached herewith the level of before the pandemic. Once again directed artistically by Simone Menegoi, Italian’s oldest trade show returned after two editions to the ground-based halls 25 and 26,… (read more)
Like every year, the accompanying program to the Arte Fiera (the Bolognese art fair) was very rich. Even though, taking place during ten days (from 27th January to 5th February) it was impossible to visit all venues. Besides the main program, once more many galleries and cultural institutions participated. Additionally, numerous studios, shops and temporary… (read more)
The year 2022 was the year, where life went back to a little bit of normality, even though, there were some reminiscences to the pandemic. However, once more we could travel and appreciate artworks in real. Art fairs reopened and even the postponed Venice Biennale took place. January Appropriate to the longing to… (read more)
Someone to Love – Edith Piaf Cristina Nuñez 2009 40 cm x 60 cm Inkjet print in fine art Hahnemuhle Baryta Edition of 6 + 2 p.a. Cristina Nuñez’ photo “Someone to Love – Edith Piaf” shows a woman with uplifted hands and an open mouth. She contracts her eyebrows so that wrinkles appear on… (read more)
superficie #3 (surface #3) Rossana Taormina 2015 Frottage: charcoal on canvas 200 cm x 145 cm “superficie #3” (surface #3) by Rossana Taormina is a frottage with charcoal on canvas. Hence, the picture is in more or less intense shades of grey. The artist placed the canvas on an urban pavement and rubbed the charcoal… (read more)
13 – 15 May 2022 Bologna Fiere www.artefiera.it This year’s art fair ARTE FIERA in Bologna took place in an unfamiliar time schedule. Instead of January, it was once more postponed due to the pandemic. However, finally in May 2022, the oldest Italian art fair opened its doors and re-found its habitual context. The supporting… (read more)
From 7 to 15 May 2022 the 10th ART CITY took place in Bologna. Born by a collaboration between the municipality of Bologna and Bologna Fiera as accompanying programme of the Arte Fiera (the Bolognese Art Fair), the ART CITY traditionally takes place in January. Due to the pandemic, this year it was postponed to… (read more)
Meta-Fiera 20 – 23 January 2022, prolonged until 31 January Director: Simona Gavioli Organiser: DOC Creativity Host: Lieu.city https://boomcontemporaryart.com Actually planned as complement to the second edition of the physical art fair BOOMing, the “meta-fiera” was a kind of preview for the presence show in Bologna, now scheduled from 12th to 15th May 2022…. (read more)
2021 was the second pandemic year. Even though several artistic events took place in real live, others were only virtually visitable. At the same time, other activities arose. In consequence, our review mainly shows the artworks of the month. However, there are some exceptions like an online art fair, a postal exhibition and a video-performance…. (read more)
Untitled Greta Schödl 2020 Ink and gold leaf on Carrara marble 34,5 cm x 22 cm x 7 cm The untitled work by Greta Schödl is a piece of white Carrara marble, inscribed repetitively with the word “MARMO” (Ital. marble) in black ink. Every “O” is filled with gold leaf. Formed as a wedge,… (read more)
Intended as revitalisation of the city’s cultural institutions after the lockdown, the postponed ART CITY could take place from May 7th to 9th in Bologna. Traditionally the ART CITY is the accompanying programme for the city’s art fair in January. Due to the pandemic, it was cancelled. Fortunately, it could be carried out now. Including… (read more)
The Pillars of the Earth Virginia Zanetti 2021 print on Canson Baryta 100 cm x 150 cm Edition of 5 + 1 print in 180 cm x 270 cm Virginia Zanetti’s photo “The Pillars of the Earth” is part of an ongoing series with the same name, started in 2016 in India. As in other… (read more)
MAMbo – Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna March – May 2021 www.mambo-bologna.org In these pandemic times, cultural enjoyment is difficult if not impossible. Creatives all around the world are struggling since one year to stay connected to the public. Due to the circumstances, most of the initiatives are in the virtual space. Now the MAMbo… (read more)
Düsseldorf Valentina D’Accardi 2020 Photo on Hahnemühle Photo Pearl 310 gr Variable dimensions Valentina D’Accardi’s photograph “Düsseldorf” shows a multi-storey building during sunset. It is an edifice, which might be found in many city peripheries in any European country. By the title, one would assume that the building is to be located in the German… (read more)
21 – 24 January 2021 (mostly longer) www.artefiera.it Due to the pandemic, also this year’s Bolognese art fair had to change its format, like many others. The digital initiative of the Arte Fiera “PLAYLIST” is not meant to be a selling show transferred to the internet, but a virtual meeting-space in contemporary culture. Hence, the… (read more)
The year 2020 was also in the cultural sector very different from all the other years. After a traditional start in January and February, exhibitions, art fairs and many other art events had been postponed, cancelled or relocated into the virtual space. Still, there were some real exhibitions. Moreover, we presented artist books and… (read more)
Many countries are in the second lockdown. In consequence, theatres, cinemas and also museums are closed. Still, there is no need to renounce cultural activities completely: in several regions, the galleries are still open! Self-evident, the current sanitary regulations such as masks and hand disinfection are followed. Since galleries are rarely crowded after the inauguration,… (read more)
8 October – 6 November 2020 Centro Studi Didattica delle Arte Via Cartoleria 9 Bologna www.fondazionecarlogajani.it Thursday – Sunday, 11:00 – 19:00 free entrance In December of 2009, Carlo Gajani passed away. His left behind oeuvre is witness of a long successful artistic career. Ten years later, is a good moment to look… (read more)
In memory of the recently deceased Maria Rebecca Ballestra, we republish our article about “5 minutes free zone”, which was Artwork of the month in October 2015. Rebecca conceived the installation in cooperation with Lucia Palmero to point at the situation of emergency in Ventimiglia, the Italian frontier town at the border to France, where… (read more)
Since the 18 May 2020, the Italian galleries are allowed to reopen after the shutdown due to the corona-crisis. However, people can be received only upon appointment and have to wear a facemask. Opening receptions are still not allowed. Additionally, the international transport of artworks is still difficult. Despite these difficulties, the galleries continue to… (read more)
Imago Pietatis, Serie 1 Elena Franco 2019 4 digital prints on Fedrigoni XPER paper, 220 gr 40 cm x 60 cm each, framed Edition of 7 + 1 PDA The series 1 of Elena Franco’s project on the Imago Pietatis (Christ of Pity) consists of four posters. They are showing painted book edges of volumes… (read more)
The Corona-crisis has changed our lives a lot. Many countries have limited public activities; several are almost totally shut-down. Schools, universities and shops are closed. This stop of public life, also affects cultural institutions like museums, art spaces and galleries. Many cultural operators defy this standstill and take it as a challenge to enhance their… (read more)
Love Silvia Levenson 2019 Kiln formed glass 11 cm x 11 cm x 22 cm Edition of 20 pieces Silvia Levenson’s glass sculpture “Love” is a soft pink hand grenade positioned on a round cake plate with pedestal. A transparent glass dome encloses it. On the shell, the word “Love” is written…. (read more)
Sono ancora qua. SetUp to be continued Autostazione Piazza XX Settembre 6, Bologna 24 – 26 January 2020 Last autumn Alice Zannoni, co-founder of the SetUp Contemporary Art Fair, announced that there would be no event with this name in 2020. Born in 2013, the alternative trade show for emerging artists and galleries was situated… (read more)
BOOMing Contemporary Art Show DumBo, ex scalo ferroviario del Ravone Via Casarini 19, Bologna https://boomcontemporaryart.com 23 – 26 January 2020 During four days, the first edition of BOOMing took place in the DumBo, the district of a former cargo railway station close to the central station. Artistically directed by Simone Gavoldi, the art fair… (read more)
For the second part of our Art City tour throughout Bologna, we concentrate on the western area of the city centre. Some exhibitions glance at our present, others are going back in history, partly back into archaic times. There are excursions into dream worlds, human or android; forms or colours are featured and our perception… (read more)
Rimediazioni Analogiche (Analogue Remediation) Donatella Lombardo 2015 Installation, mixed media 145 cm x 90 cm x 40 cm (support included) Donatella Lombardo’s installation “Rimediazioni Analogiche (Analogue Remediation)” is a red merchantable typewriter, type Olivetti Valentine with a long white panel of cloth coming out of the platen-roller. Digitally printed on the cloth are… (read more)
Last week, we made some proposals for exhibitions to see during the ART CITY in Bologna, Italy. Now, after the White Night we visited several more venues. Most of them are still open for some time. It is a diverse programme of smaller or bigger shows, where every art lover will find his/her pleasure. For… (read more)
The 44th edition of the Bolognese art fair ARTE FIERA just closed. Time to reflect on this traditional trade show in the heart of the region Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Simone Menegoi, the artistic director for the second time, gathered 155 galleries, thereof 108 in the main section and 47 in the three sections with a special… (read more)
In these days, the Bolognese art week started. Besides the traditional Arte Fiera, Italy’s oldest enduring art fair, there are many collateral events throughout the city and around. This year’s program of the ART CITY is once more larger than in the preceding years. There are 22 main projects and a special one, coordinated by… (read more)
Another year passed by and we would like to glance to what happened in the last months. We visited numerous exhibitions in Bologna and beyond, starting with the Bolognese Art Week, two Milanese art fairs and the Venice Biennale. Later we reported on exhibitions in Bologna, Florence, Bremen, Ferrara and San Gimignano. Moreover, we… (read more)
In a second tour, we visited six more exhibitions of the autumn season in Bologna. Most of them are still ongoing. Although the variety of artists and techniques is comparable to the exhibitions of the first round, the presented shows are more minimalistic in the second part, self-evidently with exceptions. Galleria de’ Foscherari: Mario… (read more)
After the summer break, there are various new exhibitions in Bologna on view. There are different artists with diverse techniques and subjects. Nevertheless, the exhibitions have in common that they invite to pause and to contemplate the objects to discover them deeply. Goethe-Zentrum: Bauhaus Reloaded 1919-2019: Architettura Bauhaus 1919-1933 Spazio Testoni: Human Places Magma… (read more)
Black Out 2 Ester Grossi 2018 Acrylic on canvas 120 cm x 100 cm Courtesy Spazio Testoni, Bologna, Foto Giulia Mazza Ester Grossi’s painting “Black Out 2” is a composition of four geometric shapes on black ground, which overlap each other partially. The upper diagonally red lined field could be described as rectangle with rounded… (read more)
Galleria Enrico Astuni Via Iacopo Barozzi 3, Bologna www.galleriaastuni.net 25 May – 28 September 2019 Summer break in August In his solo exhibition, Where do we go from here? in the Bolognese Galleria Enrico Astuni, Christian Jankowski questions about the relation between artist and audience, both, in the traditional physical contact and the virtual way… (read more)
17 – 22 June 2019 (the gallery exhibitions remain longer open) As every year, the Accademia di Belle Arti in Bologna goes on tour. Besides a programme of events, performances and special exhibitions in Bolognese institutions, the students of the Academy of Fine Arts show their works in galleries throughout the city. All the exhibitions… (read more)
MAMbo – Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna Sala delle Ciminiere Via Don Minzoni 14, Bologna www.mambo-bologna.org 8 June – 8 September 2019 With the exhibition Julian Charrière. All We Ever Wanted Was Everything and Everywhere. the MAMbo invites the visitors to plunge into the submarine world and to pop up from time to time to… (read more)
Door, NY, 1986 Betty Zanelli 1986 Collage Graphite, oil pastels, acrylic and newspaper on sketching paper 25 cm x 19 cm The collage “Door, NY, 1986” by Betty Zanelli shows a door ajar. In contrast to the background, which presents the bare paper and the sketched spatial environment with black pastels, the front of the… (read more)
BolognaFiere Piazza Costituzione Bologna www.artefiera.it 1 – 4 February 2019 The 43rd edition of the longest running art fair in Italy, was for the first time guided by its new artistic director Simone Menegoi. Even though, he had only six months to prepare the exhibition, he succeeded to give a new momentum to attract… (read more)
In the following, there are three main projects on focus. Leandro Erlich fetched some clouds down from the sky and Michele Spanghero invited to a cinematic sound installation in a subterranean historic movie theatre. Eduard Habicher showed the lightweight of steel. Leandro Erlich: Collection de Nuages Michele Spanghero: AGAIN ANEW – Before the film… (read more)
The new exhibition space DAS opened at the right time for the Arte City. Its first exhibition showed contemporary local and international artists, some with a glance to what might be upcoming in this place. Guido Segni at Adiacenze considered how artworks could be conceived in the era of automation of work. Rob Chavasse focussed… (read more)
The installation “Transboundary #4” by Betty Zanelli seems to treat migratory movements of birds of passage. Nevertheless, it is also about barriers which exclude people. Whereas Giovanni de Gara wants to encourage a reflection about welcoming with “Eldorato”. At the association “L’Altro Spazio” we experienced living inclusion and the artist Fabrizio Tartari. With the exhibition… (read more)
For the 7th edition the SetUp Contemporary Art Fair, around Simona Gavioli had chosen the theme “Ithaca”. 25 galleries, thereof four non-Italian, presented artworks with a focus on the mystical island, home of Odysseus, before and after his 20 years enduring absence, described by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. By his journeys, the… (read more)
Traditionally, the end of January and the first days in February in Bologna, Italy, are dominated by a huge offer of artistic events. This year, more and more exhibitions started earlier, so that we can talk of a real art week around the oldest Italian art fair. Besides the ARTE FIERA (1 – 4 February… (read more)
Even at the age of 89 years, Greta Schödl still continues to create. Her range of techniques is very large; however, scripture and gold are particularly prominent in her work. We met in her apartment in Bologna, where we spoke about her background, artistic career and oeuvre. Astrid Gallinat: Your father was veterinarian… (read more)
