Proposals ART CITY 2025: 12 + Exhibitions

From 6 to 16 February 2025 the ART CITY will take place in Bologna. It is traditionally a huge offer of exhibitions and art events in occasion of the Arte Fiera (7 to 9 February). This year’s Special Program focusses on the ten still existing city gates, with artworks and installations related to these monuments. Therefore, we will mention in the following, which gates are in the area to the venue proposed.

Several art galleries and institutions have already inaugurated their shows. Besides an extensive installation, there are exhibitions of painting, photography, sculpture, ceramic, prints and and and … After last years’ focus on Giorgio Morandi, also this year, there are two artists approaching the Bolognese master in their way. Other artists take their inspiration from other artists, other centuries, nature or reflection on their environment. Most of the exhibitions have special opening times throughout the days of the Arte Fiera and especially on Saturday 8 February, during the White Night, when most of the venues will be open until 23 or even 24 o’clock. These proposals are in the order of the closing dates.

Finally, there is an outlook to the Special Program, some shows in the Municipal Museums and galleries, which will open soon.

Oratorio di San Filippo Neri: Grazia Toderi & Gilberto Zorio – Torri : Terra
Galleria Leòn: Camilla Di Bella Vecchi & Marco Gualdoni – Flemish Flair
CAR Gallery: Emanuele Becheri – Opere
L’Ariete Contemporanea: Natura Naturans
Galleria B4: Lodovico Pignatti Morano – Sussurri
Studio Cenacchi: Zeno Bertozzi – Trame Silenziose
Raccolta Lercaro: Luca Freschi – Se chiudo gli occhi il buio non mi vede – Atto II
Casa Morandi: Alessandra Spranzi – il quale cerca la sua bellezza, nel mondo qui descritto
Museo Morandi: Silvia Bächli – before
Villa delle Rose: Carol Rama – Unique Multiples
Labs Gallery: Elisabeth Scherffig – Observatorium
Galleria de’Foscherari: Claire Fontaine – Lotta
Musei Civici Bologna – The Municipal Museums of Bologna
Special Program: Le Porte della Città
Exhibitions close to the City Gates
Exhibitions in the City Centre

Grazia Toderi & Gilberto Zorio – Torri : Terra
16 January – 9 February 2025
Oratorio di San Filippo Neri
Via Alessandro Manzoni 5, Bologna
www.oratoriosanfilipponeri.com

After sunset you can immerse into a phantastic scenery by Grazia Toderi (Padua, 1963) and Gilberto Zorio (Adorno Micca, 1944) in the Oratorio di San Filippo Neri. The extensive installation consists of two intertwining vertical brick stars by Zorio, which are inspired by the Bolognese towers of the Garisenda and the Asinelli, landmarks of the city. On their walls and the surrounding space, Toderi projects a rotating satellite video of the earth by night. Continents and even cities are perceptible. The whole is accompanied by a “sound of air” as it describes Toderi. Besides, this almost all senses appealing installation is an homage of the two renowned artists to the city.

Already since December, the new Galleria Leòn presents two artists dealing photographically with the human body. Camilla Di Bella Vecchi concentrates on women, with a special focus on hands. The depicted gestures and sections of the female body are often captured softly. Whereas Marco Gualdoni photographs of masculine figures are more contrasted. The models are subjected to the accessories. Despite the differences, the dark background and the light direction remind Dutch paintings of the 15th and 16th century. Hence, the title of the exhibition “Flemish Flair”. Besides, the gallery has an archive of anonymous images starting from the early days of photography until today, along with vintage photos of renown American authors of masculine nudes and the queer culture.

Emanuele Becheri’s first solo exhibition in Bologna represents a kind of voyage. In part, we travel to the artist’s approaches in terracotta in revisiting the subjects “Solitudine, Coppia, Figura and Testa” (Solitude, Couple, Figure and Head). While the Solitude and the Couple have relatively closed contours, almost a silhouette, the Figure, the Head and also the Study are more expressive. Complemented is the show by two studies for self-portraits, made during real physical journeys: one to an exhibition in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where the artists contemplated the “Portrait of Verdonck” by Frans Hals (1627, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh), the other was a visit of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The group exhibition “Natura Naturans”, curated by Lucia Rossi and Ziyi Liu is a collaboration between L’Ariete artecontemporanea, Bologna and the ZIAN gallery, Hangzhou. Thus, two presented artists are Italian (Francesco De Biasi (Castelfranco Veneto, 1993), Andrea Mazzola (Milano, 1980)), the other two originate from China (Jingge Dong (Beijing, 1989), Weixuan Guo (Quanzhou, 1974)). All have in common, that their subjects are related to nature, each one in their personal artistic language. While Francesco de Biasi’s paintings remind greatly enlarged organic structures, Weixuan Guo’s images seem to represent monochrome landscapes. Andrea Mazzola creates realistic or better almost hyper realistic or irreal situations and Jingge Dong’s panoramas are interwoven with surrealistic elements, which could be nature ore urban environments. Because of transport problems some of the paintings haven’t arrived in time for the opening, there will be a second inauguration on Saturday 8th February at 18 h.

Lodovico Pignatti Morano (Imola, 1958) dedicates his exhibition “Sussurri” (Whispers) to the ex-children who became adults now. From the 1980s until 2010, he photographed them during family parties in various places in Europe. Some seem to pose; others are captured in an unobserved moment. In any case, the children express their special character: cheerful, thoughtful, gentle, adventurous or jolly. And still, after all these years, they are talking to the author and the spectator.

Geometric forms, rectangles, squares and round discs in homogeneous white are disrupted irregularly, almost organic. Zeno Bertozzi (Castel San Pietro Terme, 1994) scratches the surface of seemingly perfect exteriors to unveil the interior. Is it porous stone? Beehives? Anthills? Accident? Intention? With his meticulous interventions, the artist invites the public to immerse into his universe, listen to the “silent music” and enter into communication with his storyline, a journey to an inner place were the mind finds rest and balance.

While the first part of the exhibition “Se chiudo gli occhi il buio non mi vede” (If I close my eyes the darkness doesn’t see me) took place at the Bolognese gallery L’Ariete Contemporanea, the second part, with works specially conceived for the large exhibition hall, is presented in the Raccolta Lercaro. It is a private museum, which originates from the collection of the cardinal Giacomo Lercaro. This religious focus is to be found in Luca Freschi’s oeuvre, too, for example in the “Breviari” (breviaries). They remind the books of hours, which help the devout to find the rhythm of prayers. Another classical form – the triptych – recalls altarpieces. However, here they are sprinkled with everyday objects. While “Fine di Dio” (End of God) hints to a religious interrogation, there are also the ”Finestre sul domani” (Windows on Tomorrow) which are pointing to the future. Moreover, there are several “Cariatide”, coming by their name from the Greek antiquity. Here they are made of porcelain vases. Similar containers form the steps of the “Stairway To Heaven”. By the presentation, the exhibition gives a rhythm to allow meditation about the inside and outside of things and might reveal what the darkness can’t see, when we close our eyes.

Besides, there is also another exhibition “La linea verticale” by Agostino Arrivabene in the Raccolta Lercaro.

Another form of silent contemplation offers Alessandra Spranzi (Milan, 1962) in her exhibition “il quale cerca la sua bellezza, nel mondo qui descritto” (approximatevly: who seeks his/her beauty, in the world described here). She tried to approach Giorgio Morandi in her artistic language. Her presented series “Sul tavolo #80” has as starting point a negative from 2014. It shows a page of the first monography dedicated to the Bolognese artist (1939, Arnaldo Beccaria) and a found copper pipe. For the current exhibition, Spranzi tried to find the appropriate print of the negative. So, it was her, who was searching for beauty. The result are nine photographs, varying slightly in colour and light. By the repetition, the contemplator can deepen their sense of sight in taking time to enhance it and reflect on it.

As supplement, there is the audio video “Metronomo” from 2023, which describes time by its sound. The metronome’s tone accompanies the encounter between a cup and a knife on a table. Meanwhile, the soundless second video “Making of Ein Tisch” from 2018 focusses on further household objects to encourage another existential reflection.

Also, Silvia Bächli (Baden, 1956) deals with the oeuvre of Giorgio Morandi. Her five presented paintings in the Museo Morandi are inspired by the Bolognese painter, especially by his colours. Unlike the Bolognese master, she works relatively fast in her paintings. However, for her also the exhibition is important, which she sees as installation. Therefore, she experiments in her studio with the hanging until it fits.

Early in her life, Silvia Bächli discovered Morandi by books. Later, when seeing his paintings in real, she noted that the colours in her books have not much to do with the illustrations she’d seen before. Hence, one hint to the show’s title. Moreover, the painter lived many years “before” her. The approach at this time was different from today. Even though, the two artists have the interest in the research of the essential in common and by the simplicity of form and gestures they want to evoke profound emotions.

For the exhibition, Bächli selected several of Morandi’s still-lifes to let them communicate with her works. They are meticulously chosen from a series of many other of her paintings made in connection with the presented still-lifes, which were “before”.

In first place, “Unique Multiples” shows prints by Carol Rama (Turin 1918-2015), resulting from the cooperation between the artist and printer, editor and gallerist Franco Masoero in the time from 1993 until 2005. The idea was to make the work of Carol Rama accessible to a larger audience. However, the artist had not limited herself to supplying the templates. Even after the printing process, she intervened and made unique pieces out of the multiples again. Divided into eight thematical chapters, there are quotes from the artist to give insights into her mental world. Moreover, there are several photographs of her. Showcases display work utensils, catalogues and prints of Rama’s excursion to abstraction. Since her work is strongly autobiographical, the exhibition unfolds the story of her life and her artistic approach.

Starting from urban landscapes, in particular architecture under construction, Elisabeth Scherffig (Düsseldorf, 1949) creates detailed drawings. The architectural aspect is evident in her view at Bologna, where she depicts the historical centre, but overdraws it with waved lines which remind a territory map. In other works, the unfinished or even deconstructed is on focus, for example, when she shows us a pile of paving stones. Here, the installed stones indicate roadworks. However, the unlaid cuboids are the main actor. Other images seem to be zoomed too close that one wonders what it could be. Some remind rather vegetal origins. “Observatorium” describes not only the precise study and reproduction by the artist. It also requires an attentive observation of the spectator, to discover Elisabeth Scherffig’s accurate work, which she executes not only on paper with pastel or graphite. She uses gold leaf, organza, porcelain and steel, too.

Already in the display window of the gallery de’Foscherari a purple neon announces the activist focus of the exhibition: “Lotta” (Fight). Underlined by the colour, it is obvious that this fight is a feminist one, undertaken by the conceptual artist entity Claire Fontaine. In the show, there are three times four faithful reproductions of Gustave Courbet’s “The origine of the World” from 1866. Though the vulva is hidden and tagged with different colours. This destructive intervention remits the construction of the female (sexual, symbolic, cultural and economic) from the time of the painting’s realisation until nowadays. Moreover, it questions the concept of the authorship and adds a value to the professional reproduction at the same time as it criticises this practice.

Claire Fontaine also applies this kind of expropriation, when they seize emojis for “The World’s Mine Oyster” and “Egg” and refer once more to the construction of the female for which the oyster and the egg stand in many cultures. Additionally, they are pointing to the Italian art critic and feminist activist Carla Lonzi, by mounting her book covers on bricks.

Musei Civici Bologna – The Municipal Museums of Bologna

Traditionally several of Bologna’s Municipal Museums are hosting shows of contemporary art during the ART CITY. On occasion, the exhibitions take place in a relatively separated room, like Nino “Migliori – I miei gioielli“(until 10 February) in the Museo Civico Archeologico or “Alex Trusty Photographer – Contemporary Museum Watching” (until 16 February) Collezioni Comunali d’Arte, Palazzo d’Accursio. Sometimes, the artworks are integrated in the permanent collection like “Christian Fogarolli – Corpo eterico” (until 16 February 2025) Museo Civico d’Arte Industriale e Galleria Davia Bargellini and “Alessandro Roma – Vestirsi paesaggio” (until 2 March 2025) Museo Civico Medievale. At times, the visitor has to search a little bit for the artworks. However, this gives the possibility to discover the permanent collection. In any case, it might be interesting to find out, which precious museums exist in the town.

Special Program: Le Porte della Città

Porta Mascarella: Angelo Plessas Extropic Optimisms – Portal IV
Porta San Donato: Susan Philipsz Deep Water Pulse
Porta San Vitale: Judith Hopf Phone User 4
Porta Maggiore: Franco Mazzucchelli Intervento Ambientale
Porta Santo Stefano: Gabrielle Goliath Elegy
Porta Castiglione: Fatma Bucak Tremendous gap between you and me
Porta Saragozza: Francesco Cavaliere OTTO
Porta San Felice: Dread Scott A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday
Porta Lame: Valentina Furian Aaaaaaa
Porta Galliera: Andrea Romano Anteo

Moreover, there will be a touring performance at all gates on Saturday 8 February 2025 by Derek MF Di Fabio BARK.

Exhibitions close to the City Gates

Another Municipal Museum is the MAMbo (Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna). It presents in its huge Sala delle Ciminiere the exhibition “Facile ironia. L’ironia nell’arte italiana tra XX e XXI secolo (6 February – 7 September) exposing Italian ironic art in the 20th and 21st century. In the Project Room, the visitor can plunge into the performative world of Valeria Magalie, which illustrates the artist’s redefinition of the female from the 1970s until the early 2000s years (until 11 May).

Besides, the building of the MAMbo currently also hosts the Museum Morandi, with the already outlined show “Silvia Bächli – before”. The MAMbo is not too far from the Porta Lame.

At the other side of the city, close to the Porta San Mamolo, the Otto Gallery presents “Per Barclay – Urs Luethi” (opening 7 February, 18 – 21 h, until 30 April). Continuing in direction to the Porta Castiglione, there is the Studio la Linea Verticale with “Ludovico Bomben & Francesca Dondoglio – Vuoto-Semi-Vuoto”. In the same area, the Studio Legale Iusgate displays “Pietro Caponetti – Apparizioni” (opening 8 February, 18 h) in cooperation with the Studio Cenacchi. Continuing from here in direction of the Porta Santo Stefano, one could visit the installation “Flavio Favelli – Nuova Mixage Up” (until 28 March) at the Fondazione Zeri and find the Porta Maggiore not far away. Heading once again north, between the Porta Mascarella and the Porta Galliera is the Galleria Enrico Astuni with “Roteation – Maurizio Nannucci (opening 8 February, 18 – 24 h, until 10 May).

Exhibitions in the City Centre

Here, the following exhibitions might be interesting:

Per Barclay – La Strage degli Innocenti
31 January – 9 February 2025
Chiesa di S. Barbaziano
Via Cesare Battisti 35, Bologna

Mattia Moreni visto da Italo Calvino
30 January – 28 February 2025
Galleria D’Arte Maggiore
Via d’Azeglio 15, Bologna
www.maggioregam.com

Luisa Gardini. La stessa voce ma non lo stesso canto
31 January – 8 March 2025
Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna
www.fondazionedelmonte.it

15 Years
6 February – 5 April 2025
opening 8 February, 19 – 23 h
P420
Via Azzo Gardino 9, Bologna
www.p420.it

Caterina Morigi- Lettere Efesie
6 February – 29 March 2025
opening 8 February, 19 – 24 h
Galleria Studio G7
via Val D’Aposa 4/A, Bologna
https://galleriastudiog7.it

Lesia Vasylchenko – Children of Infinity
7 February – 23 March 2025
opening 7 February, 18 – 22 h
Adiacenze
Vicolo Spirito Santo 1, Bologna
www.adiacenze.it

Nanni Balestrini – Una lunga primavera
6 February – 17 April 2025
opening 7 February, 19 – 21 h
AF Gallery
Via dei Bersaglieri 5/E, Bologna
www.afgallery.it

Antonello Ghezzi – La Palazzina dei Sogni
Palazzina Liberty Giardini Margherita
Piazzale Mario Jacchia 1/4, Bologna
https://www.culturabologna.it/events/antonello-ghezzi-la-palazzina-dei-sogni

Ai Weiwei – Who am I
21 September 2024 – 4 May 2025
Palazzo Fava
Via Manzoni 2, Bologna
https://genusbononiae.it/palazzo-fava/

The official program of the ART CITY you can find here: https://www.culturabologna.it/documents/artcity

While strolling through the streets of Bologna, it might be a good idea to keep the eyes open. There might be historical buildings, artist studios and spontaneous initiatives, which are not part of the official program, but also could be exciting.