ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

MUVEC – Casa delle Contemporaneità Opens in Mestre as a New Socially Engaged Museum

exhibition · 2026-04-01

MUVEC – Casa delle Contemporaneità has officially launched in Mestre, marking the first contemporary art museum on the Venetian mainland. Under the leadership of Elisabetta Barisoni, the museum showcases a permanent collection that includes works from Ca' Pesaro's deposits and recent contributions, covering the period from 1948 to today. This collection is divided into three thematic categories: Ricostruzione, Costruzione, and Decostruzione, featuring artists such as Emilio Vedova, Joseph Kosuth, and Bill Viola. MUVEC prioritizes accessibility with gender-neutral restrooms, baby facilities, free sanitary items, and plenty of seating. The entrance highlights the 21 most spoken languages in the local area. It is part of a larger cultural initiative alongside Emeroteca dell'Arte and Casermetta 9 at Forte Marghera, with Barisoni aiming to engage a wide range of visitors, including immigrants and first-time museum-goers.

Key facts

  • MUVEC – Casa delle Contemporaneità is the first contemporary art museum on the Venetian mainland, located in Mestre.
  • The museum is directed by Elisabetta Barisoni, head of the MUVE area in Mestre.
  • The permanent collection is divided into three sections: Ricostruzione, Costruzione, and Decostruzione.
  • Artists in the collection include Emilio Vedova, Joseph Kosuth, Gastone Novelli, Arman, Renato Birolli, Armando Pomodoro, Claudio Parmiggiani, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Tony Cragg, and Bill Viola.
  • The oldest work is a Vedova from 1948.
  • The museum features gender-neutral bathrooms, baby pit stops, free sanitary products, and ample seating.
  • At the entrance, 21 languages spoken by the local community are displayed.
  • MUVEC is part of a network including Emeroteca dell'Arte, Casermetta 9 at Forte Marghera, and the future Palaplip factory.

Entities

Artists

  • Emilio Vedova
  • Joseph Kosuth
  • Gastone Novelli
  • Arman
  • Renato Birolli
  • Armando Pomodoro
  • Claudio Parmiggiani
  • Michelangelo Pistoletto
  • Tony Cragg
  • Bill Viola
  • Cristian Fogarolli
  • Alexandre Kyungu
  • Ivan Novelli
  • Gemma Testa
  • Panza di Biumo
  • Chen Zhen
  • Vanessa Beecroft
  • Marlene Dumas
  • Gustav Klimt
  • Egon Schiele
  • Oskar Kokoschka

Institutions

  • MUVEC – Casa delle Contemporaneità
  • Ca' Pesaro
  • La Biennale di Venezia
  • Centro Culturale Candiani
  • Emeroteca dell'Arte
  • Casermetta 9
  • Forte Marghera
  • Palaplip
  • Bevilacqua La Masa
  • MUVE
  • MUVEC
  • Candiani Cultural Center

Locations

  • Mestre
  • Venezia
  • Italy
  • Rotterdam
  • Copenaghen
  • Lubiana
  • Congo

Sources