GAM Torino: 160 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art in Turin
The Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GAM) in Turin, Italy, was inaugurated on October 31, 1959, with the architectural vision of Carlo Bassi and Goffredo Boschetti. Turin's Civic Museum, established in 1863, marked the creation of Italy’s inaugural public modern art collection. Originally located at the Mole Antonelliana, the collection relocated to corso Siccardi from 1895 until 1942. Currently, GAM boasts over 45,000 pieces, showcasing works from 19th-century artists like Canova and 20th-century icons such as Balla and Picasso, as well as notable Arte Povera and contemporary creators. The collection underwent reorganization in 2009 and 2013. Additionally, GAM features temporary exhibitions and serves as a venue for Artissima, Italy’s first contemporary art fair, launched in 1994.
Key facts
- GAM Torino opened its current building on October 31, 1959.
- The museum holds over 45,000 works including paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs, and artist films.
- Turin was the first Italian city to create a public modern art collection, with the Civic Museum opening in 1863.
- The collection was initially housed at the Mole Antonelliana, then in a pavilion on corso Siccardi (1895-1942) destroyed in WWII.
- The current building was designed by Carlo Bassi and Goffredo Boschetti.
- The collection includes works by Canova, Balla, Boccioni, de Chirico, Modigliani, Fontana, Klee, Picasso, and Warhol.
- GAM has a major Arte Povera collection with works by Merz, Boetti, Pistoletto, and Penone.
- The collection was reorganized in 2009 and again in 2013 for the 150th anniversary.
- GAM hosts temporary exhibitions and is a venue for Artissima, founded in 1994.
Entities
Artists
- Antonio Canova
- Antonio Fontanesi
- Giovanni Fattori
- Medardo Rosso
- Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo
- Giacomo Balla
- Umberto Boccioni
- Felice Casorati
- Amedeo Modigliani
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Arturo Martini
- Giorgio Morandi
- Filippo de Pisis
- Lucio Fontana
- Paul Klee
- Francis Picabia
- Pablo Picasso
- Max Ernst
- Otto Dix
- Alexander Calder
- Mario Merz
- Alighiero Boetti
- Michelangelo Pistoletto
- Giulio Paolini
- Gilberto Zorio
- Giovanni Anselmo
- Giuseppe Penone
- Andy Warhol
- Cy Twombly
- Anselm Kiefer
- Gino Severini
- Claude Monet
- Salvatore Scarpitta
- Claudia Zanfi
- Bonnie Borsari
Institutions
- Galleria d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Torino (GAM Torino)
- Museo Civico di Torino
- Mole Antonelliana
- Artissima
Locations
- Turin
- Italy
- corso Siccardi
- Galileo Ferraris