Galleries and Exhibitions

Alberto Flammer on display in Biasca: a look at the apparent, between photography and memory.

April 13, 2026

Curated by Manuela Lozza

At Casa Cavalier Pellanda, an exhibition traces thirty years of the Ticino photographer's work, including documentation of the region and artistic research.

Alberto Flammer's exhibition in Biasca: a look at the apparent between photography and memory Subtitle At the Casa Cavalier Pellanda an exhibition itinerary retraces thirty years of activity of the Ticino photographer, between documentation of the territory and artistic research Meta description Alberto Flammer's exhibition in Biasca From 19 April to 16 August 2026, the Alberto Flammer Exhibition will be held in the rooms of the Cavalier Pellanda House, marking a new chapter in the exhibition program started last year with a show dedicated to Flavio Paulucci.

Edited by Elio Schenini, the exhibition offers a detailed reinterpretation of the work of Alberto Flammer (1938-2023), a central figure of Ticino and Swiss photography in the second half of the twentieth century.

A few years after his death, the exhibition presents itself as an opportunity to bring attention back to an author who was able to document with rigour and sensitivity the transformations of the territory.

The story of Ticino between past and modernity

Alberto Flammer's exhibition is spread over the three floors of the exhibition space, offering a chronological and thematic narration of the first thirty years of the photographer's career.

Since the beginning, Flammer has stood out for its strong attention to the social and cultural context, often in dialogue with the writer Piero BianconiHis images portray a Ticino suspended between the progressive disappearance of the rural world and the advance of the consumer society.

The itinerary includes photographs linked to publications that have marked an era, such as Eyes on Ticino (1978) and Bread and knife (1975), accompanied by numerous previously unpublished photographs. The themes run through the author's entire oeuvre: valley landscapes, urban realities, portraits, and reflections on death.

From documentary photography to artistic research

A turning point clearly emerges in the second part of the exhibition, located on the second floor. Starting in the 1980s, Flammer gradually shifted his work toward a more experimental dimension.

While continuing to work on commission, especially in the field of architecture, the photographer gradually abandoned the documentary approach to devote himself to art photography. The series of items, presented in 1989 at the Kunsthaus Zurich as part of a personal exhibition promoted by the Fondazione svizzera per la fotografia, a moment that confirms its full affirmation at a national level.

Contemporary publications and rereadings

Alberto Flammer's exhibition is accompanied by two publications that expand the dialogue between images and the written word.

On one side, a catalogue collects a selection of photographs from the series items, many of which have never been published before. On the other hand, a collection of short stories by contemporary Ticino authors – Vanni Bianconi, Doris Femminis, Anna Ruchat, Oliver Scharpf e Thomas Soldini – takes inspiration from Flammer's photographs, renewing their interpretation through narrative.