Between the end of March and mid-May, Ticino is transformed into a widespread cultural laboratory dedicated to Francesco Borromini, a central figure in seventeenth-century European architecture. With the project Borromini 2026, scheduled from March 31st to May 19th, the area offers a varied calendar of initiatives involving multiple cities and institutions, going beyond the perimeter of the traditional commemoration.
The review, conceived by the architectural historian Nicola Soldini, develops along a geographical axis that unites bissons, Bellinzona, Lugano e Mendrisio, offering the public a journey that intertwines research, dissemination, and contemporary artistic production. At its core remains the bond between Borromini and his homeland, with Bissone as the symbolic hub of the entire project.
A program between history and contemporary interpretation
The program focuses on a variety of media. Alongside academic events, there will be concerts, theater, and in-depth discussions open to a non-specialist audience. The stated goal is to make the complexity of Borromini's work accessible, avoiding a purely celebratory interpretation.
Among the main events are meetings with internationally renowned scholars such as Joseph Connors, Richard Bösel, Marisa Tabarrini, Martin Raspe e Augusto Roca De AmicisThe lectures will address not only Borromini's architectural production, but also his critical success and reception in the following centuries.
At the same time, the Lugano Cantonal Library hosts an exhibition dedicated to the reinterpretation of Borromini's work from the 17th century to the present day, offering a glimpse into the evolution of the architect's historical and artistic interpretation.
Music and theater to tell the story of the Baroque
The calendar also includes performance moments. Church of San Carpoforo a concert of Baroque music is planned, designed to restore the sonic context of the era in which Borromini worked.
A Social Theater of Bellinzona Instead, a theatrical performance will be staged which recalls the often conflictual relationship between Borromini and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, offering a dramatic reading of one of the most famous rivalries in the history of art.
A network of institutions in the area
Borromini 2026 It was born from the collaboration between various cultural actors in the Canton. These include the Department of Education, Culture and Sport, the Municipality of Bissone, the Academy of Architecture of Mendrisio with its Archive of the Modern, the Salita dei Frati Library and the Teatro Sociale of Bellinzona, with the support of theMendrisiotto Tourism.
This network contributes to building a project that aims to be an example of "widespread culture," capable of activating diverse places and audiences, connecting scientific research, territorial development, and cultural production.
Borromini: a legacy that transcends local borders
Born in Bissone on September 27, 1599, Borromini was one of the leading innovators of the Baroque architectural language, distinguished by a radical approach to form and space. His work, largely carried out in Rome, left a lasting mark on the history of European architecture.
The Ticino exhibition fits into this vein, offering a reflection that looks beyond biographical and local details. Borromini 2026 It thus presents an opportunity to critically reread the architect's contribution, but also to question the way in which cultural heritage is transmitted and reinterpreted in the present.
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