Pierino Ghisla on 47 Years in Belgium, Art Collecting, and the Ghisla Art Collection in Locarno

Pierino Ghisla, born in Marolta, Val di Blenio, Swiss Italian region, moved to Belgium at 16 to visit his uncle Lino, who ran a fruit and vegetable shop. He stayed 47 years, took over the business at 18, married Martine, his uncle's grand-niece, and together they became leading fruit and vegetable importers in Belgium. They began collecting art in the mid-1980s, amassing over 200 works. Four years ago they sold the business, retired, and moved mostly to Locarno, Ticino. Their collection includes a pivotal work by Georges Mathieu, which they fell in love with early on. Three years ago, they opened the "Cubo Rosso" exhibition space in Locarno, designed by architect Franco Moro. The red cube's bold lines were chosen to match the art inside. Currently, the space hosts a solo show of Chiara Lecca (born 1977), whose work disrupts controlled reality and evokes a wild, atavistic nature. The exhibition also features a new section of their collection. Martine would never part with Magritte's "La place au soleil" (1956), a gift from Pierino in the late 1970s. Pierino has never sold any work in 40 years. They desire works by Anselm Kiefer or Anish Kapoor. The exhibition runs until January 8, 2017.