P420 Gallery Turns 15: Founders Reflect on Two Decades of Art Dealing

Bologna's P420 gallery celebrates its 15th anniversary with the group show "15 Years," featuring 28 artists who have shaped its history. The gallery, named after Pantone 420 (a neutral gray), opened in January 2010 in a converted apartment. Founders Alessandro Pasotti and Fabrizio Padovani, both engineers by training, started their art business by selling rare art books from the 1950s-70s before transitioning to artworks. Their first exhibition featured Dadamaino and Piero Manzoni, sourced from private collectors. The gallery's program balances historic artists like Richard Nonas, Paolo Icaro, and Laura Grisi with emerging talents discovered through collaborations with Bologna's Academy of Fine Arts and curators such as Antonio Grulli, Chris Sharp, and João Laia. A key milestone was the 2013 exhibition "Luce, giorno" pairing Antonio Calderara with Helene Appel. Looking ahead, the gallery plans a September 2025 show titled "What the eye brought back" featuring 10-12 artists not yet in their program.