ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Rediscovered archive of Calabrian art from 1945 to today goes on display at MIAI

exhibition · 2026-04-26

An overlooked collection of contemporary Calabrian art is currently exhibited at the Museo Interattivo di Archeologia Informatica (MIAI) in Rende, Italy. This archive was unearthed in 2017 by Verde Binario ETS during a cleanup at the University of Calabria. The files, part of the "Progetto Arte," relate to "Avvicina – Arte in Calabria dal 1945 ad oggi," a survey of artists from 1945 to 1990 spearheaded by Simonetta Lux. The initiative was left unfinished following the dissolution of the Consorzio Università a Distanza in the late 1990s. Verde Binario has digitized these materials for the exhibition, which includes artists such as Mimmo Rotella and Franco Magro, running until November 9, 2026. They are also broadening the census to cover 1990 to the present.

Key facts

  • Archive of 'Avvicina – Arte in Calabria dal 1945 ad oggi' rediscovered in 2017 by Verde Binario ETS
  • Project conceived by Simonetta Lux in early 1990s to census Calabrian artists from 1945 to 1990
  • Materials found in basement of University of Calabria (UniCal) in Rende, originally cleared for GE-120 computer
  • Exhibition now on view at MIAI (Museo Interattivo di Archeologia Informatica) in Rende
  • Show includes artists Mimmo Rotella, Aldo Turchiaro, Enzo Benedetto, Tonino Sicoli
  • Features Contaminazione Urbana (1976) with Living Theatre and Comuna Baires
  • Includes RAI Calabria TV programs Territori di Caccia (1985) and La Periferia Sperimentale (1986)
  • Verde Binario expanding census to present day, accepting public suggestions

Entities

Artists

  • Simonetta Lux
  • Mimmo Rotella
  • Aldo Turchiaro
  • Enzo Benedetto
  • Tonino Sicoli
  • Francesco Correggia
  • Luigi Magli
  • Giovanni Vatrella
  • Rocco Pangaro
  • Salvatore Anelli
  • Rodolfo Granafei
  • Franco Magro
  • Mario Parentela
  • Marcello Walter Bruno
  • Francomà
  • Giulio Telarico
  • Marusca Zangaro
  • Alfredo Granata
  • Antonio Mirabelli

Institutions

  • Verde Binario ETS
  • Museo Interattivo di Archeologia Informatica (MIAI)
  • University of Calabria (UniCal)
  • Consorzio Università a Distanza (CUD)
  • General Electric Information Systems Italia
  • RAI Calabria
  • Living Theatre
  • Comuna Baires
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Calabria
  • Rende
  • Cosenza
  • Catanzaro
  • Zurich
  • Switzerland
  • Italy

Sources