Antonia Jannone: 50 years championing architectural drawings as art

Antonia Jannone, nearly 90 and with over 50 years in the art world, is a legendary gallerist who pioneered the recognition of architectural drawings as autonomous artworks. In the late 1970s, she launched Grafica '80 with Maria Freccia, producing lithographs by Aldo Rossi, Carlo Aymonino, and Massimo Scolari. Her gallery, now in Corso Garibaldi after stints in via Lanzone and via del Carmine, continues to explore hand drawing's vitality against digital dominance. Recent exhibitions feature Mario Trimarchi's "Barricades" and Michele De Lucchi's "Legni cuciti." From April 8–13, 2025, the gallery honors Gaetano Pesce with "Gaetano Pesce. Una festa per l’architettura: modelli, pensieri e disegni," co-produced with his New York studio and Contemplazioni, highlighting his subversive approach and his Oman Chairs collection inspired by Boswellia trees. Jannone received the Triennale's Diploma d'Onore for her role in elevating architectural drawing. She recalls friendships with Massimo Scolari, Ettore Sottsass (with collaborators Christoph Radl and Nathalie Du Pasquier), Gae Aulenti, and Gaetano Pesce. She notes a less attentive public today but remains motivated by strong exhibition attendance.