Mestre's Lost Art Spaces: Galleria Contemporaneo and Sottobosco Revisited
From the mid-2000s until the decade's conclusion, Mestre's railway station to the city center was home to Galleria Contemporaneo and Sottobosco. Established in 1998, Galleria Contemporaneo was led by Riccardo Caldura from 2006 until its closure in December 2010, showcasing artists such as Gabriele Basilico and Brigitte Kowanz. Sottobosco, which began in 2009 and became a non-profit in 2011, was directed by Eugenia Delfini and others, operating through Buccari. In 2010, Galleria Contemporaneo featured Sottobosco's archive in events like Sharing the Archive. Both initiatives emphasized via Piave as a cultural hub, contrasting with the area's current drug issues and invoking nostalgia for its history of unique exhibitions.
Key facts
- Galleria Contemporaneo opened in 1998 in piazzetta Monsignor Olivotti, Mestre, with a show dedicated to Alberto Viani.
- Riccardo Caldura directed Galleria Contemporaneo from 2006 to December 2010.
- Brigitte Kowanz exhibited at Galleria Contemporaneo in 2007; later participated in the Austrian Pavilion at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
- Bert Theis's 2010 project at the gallery referenced his Isola Art Center in Milan.
- Attila Csörgő opened the new phase of Galleria Contemporaneo in 2006.
- Sottobosco was founded in 2009 and formally became a non-profit in 2011, directed by Eugenia Delfini, Fausto Falchi, Tiziano Manna, and Nicola and Pasquale Nunziata.
- In 2010, Galleria Contemporaneo hosted Sottobosco's archive in events: Sharing the Archive (March), ShowDesk Venezia (May), and My Favourite Things (autumn).
- Verifica 8+1 was an association active from 1978 to 2008, organizing hundreds of exhibitions and building a collection now in public hands.
Entities
Artists
- Alberto Viani
- Riccardo Caldura
- Gabriele Basilico
- Italo Zuffi
- Brigitte Kowanz
- Bert Theis
- Igor Eškinja
- Attila Csörgő
- Eugenia Delfini
- Fausto Falchi
- Tiziano Manna
- Nicola Nunziata
- Pasquale Nunziata
Institutions
- Galleria Contemporaneo
- Sottobosco
- Municipality of Venice
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia
- Isola Art Center
- Verifica 8+1
Locations
- Mestre
- Italy
- Venice
- via Piave
- via Cappuccina
- corso del Popolo
- piazzetta Monsignor Olivotti
- via Buccari
- Milan
Sources
- Artslife —