Chiara Bertola's Revamped GAM Torino Reopens with New Vision

Chiara Bertola, appointed director of the Galleria d’Arte Moderna (GAM) in Turin on January 8, 2024, has overseen a major transformation of the museum. The renovation includes a complete rehang of the permanent collection, restoration of exhibition and welcome spaces, and the reopening of the second floor after six years. This floor now houses the 'Deposito Vivente' (Living Storage), a public backstage area displaying over 350 works from the museum's 45,000-piece collection in a non-traditional salon-style hang. Bertola, working with head curator Elena Volpato and Fabio Cafagna, deliberately avoided a chronological arrangement for the permanent collection, instead creating thematic resonances inspired by three concurrent exhibitions dedicated to female painters: Berthe Morisot, Mary Heilmann, and Maria Morganti. Heilmann's show marks her first exhibition in Italy. Bertola, previously president of the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa and director at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice, emphasizes spatial coherence and the concept of 'risonanza' (resonance) throughout the museum. Future plans include an international tender for a complete building restoration to reopen the auditorium and café, and a focus on engaging younger generations and international audiences.