Galleria Milano director Toni Merola dies at 57

Toni Merola, the director of Galleria Milano, passed away on July 10, 2022, in Milan due to a short illness. He was born on September 19, 1964, in Futani, Salerno, and dedicated over twenty years to the gallery, becoming an essential part of its legacy. After gaining self-taught experience and spending a decade in London, where he engaged in ARC Group research and photography, he began working with founder Carla Pellegrini in 2001. Following Pellegrini's passing in 2019, her son, Nicola Pellegrini, appointed Merola as director. In 2020, he co-curated the online project Autoprogettazione with Nicola Pellegrini and Bianca Trevisan, involving over 100 artists. A memorial was held on July 11 at his home, and his remains were returned to Futani. The gallery has announced it will relocate from its historic site after 50 years.