Artissima 2021 Returns to Turin with Hybrid Format and New Main Partner

Artissima, the Turin contemporary art fair directed by Ilaria Bonacossa for the fifth year, will hold its 28th edition from November 5 to 7, 2021, at the Oval in Lingotto Fiere, with both in-person and digital components. After canceling its usual Oval event in 2020, the fair presented curated sections and a diffused exhibition on the XYZ digital platform. This year, the fair is structured in two moments: online and offline. The three curated sections—Back to the Future (curated by Lorenzo Giusti and Mouna Mekouar), Disegni (curated by Bettina Steinbrügge and Lilou Vidal), and Present Future (curated by Ilaria Gianni and Fernanda Brenner)—will be accessible from November 4 to 9 on XYZ and also as collective exhibitions at the Oval. From November 5 to 7, the four historical sections—Main Section, New Entries, Dialogue/Monologue, and Art Spaces & Editions—will be presented at the Oval, centered on the theme of "controtempo" (offbeat), a musical term adopted to highlight art's ability to emphasize weak accents, transforming them into strengths and creating a dominant voice contrast. Bonacossa stated that art history is a polyphony of voices in time and offbeat, a symphony Artissima aims to continue writing. New this year: a main partnership with Intesa San Paolo (following a project partnership in 2020) and a new visual identity by Turin-based studio FIONDA for the fourth year.