Paradisoterrestre Gallery Revives Augusto Betti's Art-Design Legacy

Paradisoterrestre, a Bologna-based gallery founded by Dino Gavina in 1983, has been rediscovering Augusto Betti (Faenza, 1919-2013), a reclusive artist bridging art and design. The gallery, which reopened in 2017 to reissue historic design pieces and produce new collections with contemporary artists, hosts annual exhibitions in its domestic-scale space. In 2019, it focused on Roberto Matta's collaboration with Gavina; in 2020, Tobia Scarpa; in 2021, Paola Pivi's solo show 'Rock the art' produced a wall lamp and rug. In 2022, the gallery mounted a retrospective of Augusto Betti, whose work was noted by Giulio Carlo Argan and Lucio Fontana. Betti's pioneering use of fiberglass in the early 1960s, his 'cassette' series, and the 1967 'Orgonoscopio' (shown at the 6th Biennale d'arte Repubblica di San Marino) highlight his innovative cross-disciplinary practice. Betti's greatest passion was teaching, which he never abandoned.