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, the security distance shouldn’t be a problem.
In all kind of galleries, there are interesting exhibitions to discover with artists, which might enter in museums only in a few years’ time. The entrance is free and there is no obligation to buy. Skilled staff will be happy to provide you with information. In case, you have some money left to embellish your home for the next lockdowns, the artists and gallerists will be grateful. They all need support at this moment. If you are interested, do not hesitate to ask for prices. Sometimes you might be positively surprised.
Here some examples from current exhibitions in Bologna. Some might be even longer on view as indicated, depending on the development of the pandemic. If you are not in Bologna, there might be other interesting galleries in your town. The gallerists will be pleased to welcome you.
Galleria Studio G7: Giulia dall’Olio, Paola de Pietri – Per ogni estatico istante
P420: Merlin James / Marie Cool Fabio Balducci
Gallleriapiù: Marco Ceroni – SLAG
Magma Gallery: Vhils, Bezt Etam, Gonzalo Borondo – Renaissance
Galleria B4: Marjan Babaie Nasr – Sher o Saharab
Galleria Spazia: Ferro e Fuoco
Galleria de’Foscherari: Giovanni d’Agostino
Galleria Stefano Forni: Luciano Ventrone – Wunderkammer
CAR DRDE: David Auborn – Eyrie
Studio Cenacchi: Mario Lamma, Maurizio Tangerini – Momenti dilatati
Giulia dall’Olio, Paola de Pietri: Per ogni estatico istante
Galleria Studio G7
Via Val D’Aposa 4A, Bologna
www.galleriastudiog7.it
25 September – 21 November 2020
In the exhibition “Per ogni estatico istante” (For every ecstatic moment) two artists from different generations meet. Paola de Pietri (*1960) explores the plain of the river Po via black and white photography. Giulia dall’Olio (*1983) mystical landscapes in charcoal on paper, might surmount the given frame from time to time. Despite the given differences, the works of the show communicate with each other. They seem to be only another form of interpretation of a related environment.
P420
Via Azzo Giardino 9, Bologna
www.p420.it
25 September – 23 December 2020
The gallery P420 features two exhibitions at the same time. Merlin James has a wide range of creations. There is a pseudo-naïve painting of architecture and an observing look on a “Viewer”. Other works tend more to abstraction. Most of these pictures have a pastose paint application in common. Additionally, there are his “negative” collages, which remind the back of paintings and reveal the wall behind them.
Gallleriapiù
Via del Porto 48 a/b, Bologna
www.gallleriapiu.com
25 September – 19 December 2020
After his first steps in working with ceramics by a collaboration with the Carlo Zauli museum in Faenza, Marco Ceroni developed another series in this material: animal dentitions in ceramic, now on view at the Gallleriapiù. For the exhibition, Giorgio Bartocci and Stefano Serretta created a frame by wall paintings. A promoting video featuring Marco Ceroni by Veronica Santi is also on view. Due to this campaign like presentation, the gallery becomes a Temporary Store to launch the brand “SLAG”. Consequently, an adequate packaging cannot be missing, designed by Gabriele Colia.
Magma Gallery
Via Santo Stefano 164, Bologna
www.magma.gallery
3 October – 28 November 2020
For the exhibition “Renaissance”, the three presented artists reflected on the significance of the term in the sense of rebirth or revival. In Vhils’ (Portugal, 1987) works arise portraits out of given materials as a door, a metal plate or even from advertising posters. Bezt (Poland, 1987) large-sized paintings recount stories shimmering between hyper realistic and surreal manner, including video game icons, so that the observer is torn between dream world and virtual reality. Gonzalo Borondo (Spain, 1989) depicts the four human temperaments: choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine and melancholic. These originally static sculptures made of plexiglass plates, become lively by the internal lights.
Galleria B4
Via Vinazzetti 4/b, Bologna
www.galleriab4.it
8 October – 14 November 2020
The Galleria B4 features the Iranian artist Marjan Babaie Nasr by a solo exhibition of her paintings. In contrast to her “Flower-Series”, with its photorealistic blossoms of fruit trees, there a more recent works with calligraphic and ancient fresco elements. Hidden in these images appears a quirky red fish, which surprisingly doesn’t seem to be an alien component in this for him unusual environment.
Galleria Spazia
Via dell’Inferno 5, Bologna
www.galleriaspazia.com
10 October – 12 December 2020
In its group exhibition “Ferro e Fuoco” (Iron and Fire) the Galleria Spazia presents works by seven artists mainly created from the 1960s to the 1980s. As the title indicates, the oeuvres by Fausto Melotti, Edgardo Mannucci, Nanni Valentini, Eliseo Mattiacci, Luigi Mainolfi, Mauro Staccioli and Giacinto Cerone have their origin from fire, might be by the process of clay firing or forming metal by heating it.
Galleria de’Foscherari
Via Castiglione 2b, Bologna
www.defoscherari.com
13 October 2020 – 16 January 2021
Also the Galleria de’Foscherari turns towards the past. On view are some key oeuvres by the late Giovanni d’Agostino, influential as teacher in several Italian Academies of Fine Art. There are his wax works from the 1970s, luminous images based on white. Contrasting to these is “Gong” from 1985, a black grounded triptych, which visualises sound. And finally one of the late works from 1999, five panels in colour grading from dark grey to black with a “Hypertext” written on.
Galleria Stefano Forni
Piazza Cavour 2, Bologna
www.galleriastefanoforni.com
17 October – 15 Novembre 2020
With its new series, the Galleria Stefano Forni focusses on its represented artists. To start, we are invited to Luciano Ventrone’s “Wunderkammer” (Wonderroom). His photorealistic paintings attract the attention, since the fruits, vegetables and flowers are depicted following the great masters of art history. In one example, the light direction in front of a dark background reminds Caravaggio. However, there is no biblical scene featured, but an opened pumpkin. Its inner fruit fibres recall the grotto in Florence’s Boboli Gardens.
CAR DRDE
Via Azzo Gardino 14/a, Bologna
www.cardrde.com
24 October – 19 December 2020
CAR DRDE presents a series of miniature paintings, created in the short period of only thirteen days, after the artist moved in his new studio in the attic of a four-story building. Hence, “Eyrie” the exhibitions title. David Auborn investigates about the meaning of the current existence. Hereby he interrogates external and internal sources, the surrounding world and his unconscious. Resulting are small extracts of a seemingly mysterious world, which nonetheless appears somehow familiar.
Studio Cenacchi
Via Santo Stefano 63, Bologna
www.studiocenacchi.com
31 October – 28 November 2020
With “Momenti dilatati” (Dilated Moments) at the Studio Cenacchi two artists featuring nature meet. Maurizio Tangerini seems to stop the time in his deserted landscapes. In his watercolour paintings, he expands the moment to eternity. Whereas Mario Lamma freezes the instant. He captures ephemeral moments like stones under flowing water, frost flowers and iced surfaces. With his photos, he immortalises this transience.
