Adagio: Five Painters Illuminate a Historic Fondaco in Atri

The exhibition “Adagio” brings together five painters—Benyamin Zolfaghari, Enrico Pierotti, Andrea Lucchesi, Lorenzo Di Lucido, and Andrea Astolfi—in a historic fondaco at Largo Forcella 8 in Atri, Italy. The venue, dating from the 18th to 19th centuries, features brick and stone architecture with arches, niches, and staircases, creating an intimate atmosphere of light and shadow. The show runs from July 24 to August 7, 2026, by appointment, and is organized by the artists themselves as a collective exploration of painting as a free, experimental language, independent of market pressures. The works range from Pierotti's fairy-tale landscapes and ceramic vases to Astolfi's cryptic, small-scale still lifes on monochrome grounds. Di Lucido's paintings evoke marine vistas through ochre, sandy textures, while Lucchesi's vibrant, trembling brushstrokes depict streams, bucolic scenes, and dried flowers. Zolfaghari's three small canvases, in muted browns, grays, and blues, suggest maps or processional figures, resonating with the stone environment. Curator Chiara Di Carlo, in her review, emphasizes the show's meditative quality, where light and darkness play across the canvases, inviting viewers to engage deeply with the visible and hidden forms. The exhibition is a niche, well-curated event that fosters leisurely contemplation and underscores the enduring relevance of painting as a vital practice.