Arte Fiera 2019: Simone Menegoi's Debut Revives Italian Art Fair
Under the direction of Simone Menegoi, Arte Fiera in Bologna underwent a transformation in its inaugural edition. The fair's layout was restructured, with art from the 1950s to 1970s displayed on one side and works from the 1980s to the present on the opposite side. By limiting the number of artists per gallery and promoting monographic presentations, the focus shifted towards Italian artists, including Giulio Paolini, Claudio Parmiggiani, Piero Dorazio, Mirko Basaldella, Afro, and Bruno Munari. Pavilion 25 showcased contemporary art, featuring a section curated by Fantom. Galleria Continua sold pieces by Ornaghi & Prestinari, while Tiziana Di Caro highlighted Sissi, and P420 presented Riccardo Baruzzi and Alessandra Spranzi. Virginia Zanetti won the Photography Award, with Takashi Homma and Emilio Vavarella taking second. Off-site exhibitions received positive feedback, signaling a successful fair.
Key facts
- Simone Menegoi directed his first Arte Fiera in 2019, redesigning pavilion layouts and limiting artists per booth.
- About one-third of booths featured monographic focuses.
- Italian art dominated the fair, with historical works by Paolini, Parmiggiani, Dorazio, Basaldella, Afro, and Munari.
- Contemporary Italian art was highlighted in Pavilion 25 and the Photography section curated by Fantom.
- Gallerists reported moderate sales; Galleria Continua sold Ornaghi & Prestinari works for €1,000–€15,000.
- Tiziana Di Caro's solo booth for Sissi offered works from €5,000 to €25,000.
- Photography Award winners: Virginia Zanetti (1st), Takashi Homma and Emilio Vavarella (2nd).
- Off-site exhibitions included Mika Rottemberg at MAMBO, Goran Trbuliak at Villa delle Rose, and Thomas Struth at MAST.
Entities
Artists
- Simone Menegoi
- Giulio Paolini
- Claudio Parmiggiani
- Piero Dorazio
- Mirko Basaldella
- Afro
- Bruno Munari
- Lucio Fontana
- Patrick Tuttofuoco
- Ornaghi & Prestinari
- Sissi
- Riccardo Baruzzi
- Paolo Icaro
- Alessandra Spranzi
- Paola De Pietri
- Virginia Zanetti
- Takashi Homma
- Emilio Vavarella
- Mika Rottemberg
- Goran Trbuliak
- Thomas Struth
- Federica Schiavo
- Alberto Peola
- Antonella Crippa
- Cristina Masturzo
- Irene Fanizza
- Davide Ferri
Institutions
- Arte Fiera
- Matteo Lampertico
- De' Foscherari
- Mazzoleni
- Copetti
- Galleria dello Scudo
- Granelli
- Galleria Continua
- Tiziana Di Caro
- P420
- Viasaterna
- Galleria Traffic
- Galleriapiù
- MAMBO
- Villa delle Rose
- MAST
- Fantom
- Artribune
- Intesa Sanpaolo
- ArteFiera Bologna
- Padiglione 26
Locations
- Bologna
- Italy
- Venezia
- Milano
- Emilia-Romagna