It was January the 29th, midwinter in Bologna known as ‘the red’, Italy and the heavy snowfall that had taken the city by surprise overnight now disguised her usual terracotta tones: covering rooftops, roads and squares, porticos, palazzi and their courtyards, Bologna was veiled in an icing sugar coating.
But this icy white landscape try as it might could not dampen spirits or dissuade travellers from far and wide to make their yearly pilgrimage to this highly popular destination, Italy’s oldest, internationally inclined, contemporary art fair - ARTEFIERA 2019.
Held yearly at BolognaFiere this season saw a new Artistic Director Simone Menegoi introduce a ‘multi-faceted journey of renewal’, a complete renovation of this historic fair which saw unprecendented gallery participation and highly select international solo artist shows, VIP art collector engagement and new and culturally vibrant links established with Bologna and the surrounding Emilia Romagna region, just a first step, Simone Menegoi wrote, ‘…in the journey we invite you to travel with us’.
Gaea#10 I BEATRICE PEDICONI
The main exhibition halls are divided up into a series of white enclosures, pop up galleries featuring a select range of international artists. Many of these cells represent a brick and mortar Italian gallery - an opportunity for visitors to glimpse each and every one in a nutshell. This year the fair also featured a highly anticipated section, Photography and Moving Images, entrusted Fantom’s art direction, a curatorial platform conceived between Milan and New York in 2009.
Dopo la Tempesta I NAZZARENA POLI MARAMOTTI
Anyone travelling to Bologna in early February will have also been plunged, expectedly or unexpectedly into a rich kaleidoscope of art culture spilling out onto the streets of this fair city, a famed weekend called ART CITY Bologna which sees hundreds of contemporary galleries, historic museums and pop up art events shine like stars in a city-wide constellation. Promoted by the city of Bologna and Bologna Fiere, ’This programme goes well beyond a mere listing of fringe events, and is a festival of modern art in the true sense of the word...an energetic and dynamic city-wide show'.
My thanks go to ARTEFIERA and BolognaFiere for the opportunity to cover the event.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
You can read more about ARTEFIERA and ART CITY Bologna here.
Images of artworks courtesy of the ARTEFIERA press area. Quotations taken directly from ARTEFIERA Press Pack.