Omaggio a Giorgio Armani: Luca Vernizzi espone a Forte dei Marmi

A year after Giorgio Armani's death, the Oblong Contemporary Art Gallery in Forte dei Marmi and Dubai, directed by Paola Marucci, presents an homage to the late designer with the first portrait from life by Italian portraitist Luca Vernizzi. The exhibition, running from September 4 to 27, 2026, also features Vernizzi's monumental Macro Pop works, including 'Occhiali da sole' (2025), 'Annaffiatoio' (2022), 'Accappatoi', 'Detersivo per i piatti', 'Mazzo di chiavi' (2020), and 'Frutta e pomodori' (2012), along with 20 smaller pieces. The portrait of Armani was created in 1981 in the Emporio Armani showroom on Via Durini, where Armani posed for Vernizzi. The encounter was arranged by Luciano Francesconi, a historic designer for Corriere della Sera, who frequented the Bagutta trattoria, a cultural hub in Milan. Vernizzi recalls Armani's reserved and composed demeanor, which led him to think of Armani as 'Re Giorgio'. The portrait captures Armani in a white T-shirt, a signature piece that he elevated to a symbol of elegance. The exhibition also includes a quote by Jorge Luis Borges on the value of objects, reflecting the theme of Vernizzi's Macro Pop series, which depicts everyday objects in monumental scale. The show is curated by Rosi Fontana and will be held at the gallery's Forte dei Marmi location on Via Carducci, with an opening on September 4 at 6:30 PM.