DAMA Fair Takes Over a Historic Turin Palace for Site-Specific Works

DAMA, an independent art project founded in 2016 by Giorgio Galotti and Domenico de Chirico, will take place from October 31 to November 4 at Palazzo Saluzzo Paesana in Turin. The venue features a 17th-century courtyard and 600 square meters of frescoed rooms, each dedicated to a single artist. Fourteen international galleries and two non-profit spaces will present works created specifically for the location, with all exhibitions being solo shows. The project aims to evoke an imaginary collector's apartment, offering an intimate atmosphere away from typical fair rhythms. The ground floor hosts the Live Programme curated by Martha Kirszenbaum, recently appointed curator of the French Pavilion at the next Venice Biennale. The name DAMA references the game of checkers, symbolizing how participants occupy spaces without disrupting them. Among the highlighted artists are Konrad Smolenski, who represented Poland at the 2013 Venice Biennale, presented by gallery Leto, and Brazilian artist Renata De Bonis, whose work engages with the roles of gallerist, curator, and collector. A preview by invitation is on October 31 at 3 PM, with a press conference at 11:30 AM at Palazzo Birago, Chamber of Commerce of Turin.