On Wednesday 17 May, at 18.00, the Association of Lugano Art Galleries presents itself to the public for the first time, choosing the Ciani Kindergarten as its location, recently renovated and reopened to the public.
The first event organized by the association is a wide-ranging exhibition from the thiol On sculpture: from the material to the immaterial. Art between the XNUMXth and XNUMXst centuries – which traces the history of sculptural technique between the XNUMXth and XNUMXst centuries, through the works of John Cage, Tony Cragg, Luca Frei, Flavio Paolucci, Matteo Pugliese, Bruno Munari and Ronald Ventura.
Collaboration with the City of Lugano and Lugano Region
Thanks to the collaboration with the City of Lugano and the support of Lugano region, the city galleries will be on display from 18 to 21 May in the space of the Ciani kindergarten, a historic building dating back to the end of the XNUMXth century, the subject of an important restoration project.
The first exhibition promoted by GAL is dedicated to sculpture: the participating galleries have collaborated in the development of an exhibition that aims to be a cognitive journey through the technical and stylistic changes that have characterized sculpture over the last century.
Exhibition world and cultural intent
The purpose of the event is to show how Lugano's galleries participate in the cultural vitality of the city and the entire region, giving the public the opportunity to drink from an extremely heterogeneous source and thus open their gaze to a very broad position of contemporary culture. In fact, this event is not part of the traditional circuit of the trade fair format, but on the contrary has an exclusively cultural purpose.
And while the user can indulge his infinite curiosity thanks to a varied selection of works, the gallery owner enjoys the possibility of making a fine show of his professional competence.
The exhibition itinerary at the Ciani kindergarten
Different sculptural typologies will be exhibited through a dozen sections: from works made with classical techniques to those made with atypical and innovative materials. The exhibition itinerary highlights how contemporary sculpture has reached unimaginable horizons at the beginning of the century and illustrates the mechanisms that have generated our contemporary and that will trigger our future.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a rich program of collateral events, including conferences, book presentations, concerts and supported by a selection of art titles.
Il Deputy Mayor Roberto Badaracco, head of the Dicastery for culture, sport and events, said he was enthusiastic about this initiative: “The galleries of Lugano are an important part of the cultural and economic life of the city. The exhibition at the Ciani kindergarten will also allow those who have never crossed the threshold of an art gallery to get closer to this world and discover what wealth it is for a city to have exhibition spaces open to the public, curated by passionate professionals. A dynamic and quality art market can only benefit the development of the careers of young artists, contributing to the professionalisation of the sector as well as to the collecting system which, with loans and donations, makes our museums great”.
“We are convinced – he explained instead Tecla Riva, President of the association – that it is essential to network, sharing experiences and professionalism with a view to consolidating and growing a system put to the test by the historical situation we are experiencing. Art galleries, in parallel with their commercial activity, carry out an important cultural activity: they support artists, promoting exhibitions in galleries and public events, in dialogue with institutions, museums and foundations. This first exhibition is the beginning of a journey that we have traced together and will certainly be enriched in the coming months with new important initiatives”.
The GAL Association – Art Galleries of Lugano
The association was founded in January 2023 and has the primary purpose of making the cultural content derived from the experiences of its members available to the public. Moved by a shared and constructive intent to promote, GAL proposes itself as an interlocutor for the public and institutions by making its professional background available. The Association's commitment is to disseminate wide-ranging and high-level cultural initiatives in Lugano with the aim of creating a dynamic network for the area through its skills and relationships.
The galleries participating in the exhibition are:
Allegra Ravizza Gallery, Buchmann Lugano, Dabbeni Studio, Daniele Agostini Gallery, KROMYA Art Gallery, Imago Art Gallery, Primo Marella Gallery, Repetto Gallery.
The De Pietri Foundation – Artphilein will take care of the section dedicated to art publishing and artists' books.
The exhibition will be open to visitors, with free admission:
Wednesday 17 May at 18:00 – Inauguration open to the public
Thursday 18, Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May, 12-00
Sunday 21 May 12:00-17:00
Ciani Kindergarten Viale Carlo Cattaneo 6900 Lugano.
