Land of Art - PiemonteItalia

EPIEMONTE
Land of Art
Modern and Contemporary
Art Venues
Percorsi turistici - Tourist routes
Parcours touristiques - Touristische Routen -
Turin city and province
(metropolitan area, Susa Valley and Canavese)
Southern Piedmont
(provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria)
Northern Piedmont
(provinces of Verbania, Novara, Vercelli and Biella)
P
Index
TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE
31 Turin and the metropolitan area
page2
32 Susa Valley
page10
3 The Canavese region page11
The ancient capital looks to the future
Sacred and profane masterpieces
Where art comes naturally
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT
34 Caraglio and Saluzzo
page12
35 Langhe and Roero
page14
36 Alessandria and Casale Monferrato
page16
37 Asti and Bubbio
page18
Making way for cultural excellence
The hidden soul of the hills
A stroll, amidst hats and sculptures
Art in towns and vineyards
NORTHERN PIEDMONT
38 Vercelli
page20
39 Novara and the surrounding area
page22
A veritable treasure chest
Contemporary art and “renaissance” workshops
10
3 Lake district
page24
11
3 Biella and the Wool Road
page26
Where Nature meets Art
Between past and future
PIEMONTE
Land of Art
8·9
10 · 11
P
iedmont is synonymous with history, art and culture, boasting as it does an amazing architectural
heritage, inclusive of Roman ruins, Baroque build1·2·3
ings, Art Nouveau and contemporary styles.
Turin is one of the leading European cities of contempo4·5·6·7
rary art. In recent years, Piedmont has gained significant
credibility for its continuous, high profile activities to the
public. This success is the result of years of work and of the combined
efforts of public institutes and private bodies. Considerable resources
have been invested since 2007 to create a veritable contemporary art system in
Turin and Piedmont. ContemporaryArt Torino + Piemonte promotes concerts and visual and performing art performances with a well-defined contemporary identity, with a special focus on research, innovation and experimentation.
This guidebook offers a very unusual characterisation of Piedmont’s cultural
heritage, which is traditionally associated with the Baroque age, whereas the
modern image of Piedmont is usually linked to Olivetti, the computer company
based in Ivrea, and Fiat, the Turin car manufacturing company.
A constellation of striking territories, world-renowned authors, en plen air
works of art, international events, public art and architectural masterpieces dictate the region’s modern and contemporary history.
A major role is played by GAM, the Gallery of Modern Art, which boasts
a permanent collection with over 45,000 works, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Rivoli Castle, offering an extraordinary juxtaposition
between the old Savoy residence redesigned by Filippo Juvarra and the works
of contemporary artists such as Vedova, Pistoletto, Paolini, Merz, Sol Lewitt,
Long, Anselmo, Fabro, Kounellis.
Equally important is the role played by a number of trusts dedicated to contemporary art, such as the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and the Fondazione Merz. Other important initiatives include: Cittadellarte, founded by
Michelangelo Pistoletto in Biella, which can be described as “new kind of artistic institution that allows art to interact directly with the different sectors of
society”; the old spinning mill in Caraglio, transformed into a cultural centre
for theme-based exhibitions; Arca, in Vercelli, a venue hosting prestigious exhibitions of the Fondazione Guggenheim; and the historical gallery run by the
art dealer Franz Paludetto, which has recently moved to the Rivara Castle.
The aim of the project is to combine the cultural tourism associated with the region’s modern and contemporary architecture with a greater focus on the local
territory, offering a number of unusual itineraries, for an “ever-new Piedmont”.
www.contemporarytorinopiemonte.it
www.piemonteitalia.eu
www.turismotorino.org
Turin
and the metropolitan area
The ancient capital looks to the future
GPS Turin
Lat. 45°04'23"N
Long. 7°40'51"E
The city of Turin is the perfect melting pot of modern and
contemporary art, in its multiple expressions and endless opportunities for renewal and contamination. Our aim is to
guide you through the best the city can offer in this sense.
museums
Gam
Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea
TURIN
Turin - via Magenta, 31 - Ph. +39 011 4429518
Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10.00 - 18.00
(the ticket office closes at 17.00).
www.gamtorino.it
© Marco Saroldi - Fondazione Torino Musei
G
2
AM – Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art – is
one of Italy’s oldest and most important modern and contemporary art museums. Indeed, Turin was the first Italian city
to promote a public collection of modern art, in 1863, as part of
† Turin, GAM, its Civic Museum. Today its collections consist in over 45,000
Penone, In Limine works, including paintings, sculptures, installations and photographs, besides a rich collection of drawings and engravings
and one of the most important European collections of art films
and videos. The museum holds important works by major 19th
and 20th century Italian and international artists, followers of the
Arte Povera movement and of the new avant-garde of the second
post-war period. These include works by Merz, Paolini, Boetti,
Anselmo, Zorio, Penone and Pistoletto.
GAM is surrounded by a pleasant sculpture garden with items
by Melotti, Mainolfi, Cordero, Paolini and Penone. At night, a
blue neon inscription reading “All Art Has Been Contemporary”,
an installation by Maurizio Nannucci, shines out from the roof.
TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE
31
Turin - via Limone, 24 - Ph. +39 011 19719437
Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays, 11.00 - 19.00
(last entry 18.30).
www.fondazionemerz.org
F
© Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
ondazione Merz, a trust dedicated to Mario Merz who died in
Turin in 2003, inaugurated its exhibition space in April 2005.
The trust is situated in the former thermal power station of the
Lancia factory, a rationalist-style industrial building in what used
to be a working class district. The three-storey building measures π Turin, Fondazione Merz
3,200 square metres in all, 1,400 of which are dedicated to the exhibition area. The trust also offers a library open to the public and
a bookshop with all the material published by Fondazione Merz.
The trust organises scientific and theme-based exhibitions on
Mario Merz and invites contemporary artists to exhibit their
works alongside those of the famous exponent of the Arte Povera
movement.
© Eric Planchard - Turismo Torino e Provincia
Fondazione Merz
Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
Turin - via Modane, 16 - Ph. +39 011 3797600
π Turin, Fondazione Sandretto
Re Rebaudengo
Info: open Thursdays 20.00 - 23.00,
Fridays to Sundays 12.00 - 19.00.
www.fsrr.org
I
n 2002, the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, established in 1995, inaugurated the large Centre of Contemporary
Art, designed by Claudio Silvestrin. The neominimalist-style
building has a large hall for temporary exhibitions, as well as an
auditorium, a bookshop, an education room, a restaurant and a
stylish cafeteria designed by Rudolf Stingel, from the Trentino
Alto Adige region of Italy. The Centre, designed to address the
latest contemporary issues, is a flexible venue suitable for events
as well as concerts, theatre shows, movie screenings, literary
meetings and discussions.
3
© Turismo Torino e Provincia
Museo d’Arte Contemporanea
Castello di Rivoli
Rivoli - piazza Mafalda di Savoia - Ph. +39 011 9565222
Info: open Tuesdays to Fridays, 10.00 - 17.00; Saturdays and
Sundays, 10.00 -19.00 (the ticket office closes at 18.30 pm).
www.castellodirivoli.org
© Michele Vacchiano - Città di Torino
T
he Museum of Contemporary Art is situated in the Rivoli
Castle, a baroque mansion designed in the early 18th century
by Filippo Juvarra for King Vittorio Amedeo II. It is considered
one of the most qualified institutes of contemporary art. As well
π Castello di Rivoli as temporary international exhibitions, the museum houses a
prestigious permanent collection of works from the 1950s to the
present day, and boasts artists of the calibre of Sol LeWitt and
Richard Long, as well as some of the main exponents of the Arte
Povera and Transavantgarde movements. Manica Lunga, a 17th
century Savoy picture gallery, also hosts temporary exhibitions in
a 147m long space on the top floor.
Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli
Torino - via Nizza, 230 - Ph. +39 011 0062713
Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10.00 - 19.00
(the ticket office closes at 18.15).
www.pinacoteca-agnelli.it
I
naugurated in 2002, the Giovanni and Marella Agnelli picture
gallery is situated in a futuristic, parallelepiped-shaped venue
suspended in mid-air above the rooftop test track of the former
FIAT Lingotto plant. Nicknamed “Lo Scrigno”, or treasure
† Turin, Luci d’Artista, chest, by its designer Renzo Piano, it house 25 masterpieces of
Monte dei Cappuccini, ancient and modern art, the oldest dating back to the 18th century
Rebecca Horn and the most recent to the mid 20th century.
© Bruna Biamino - Città di Torino
π Turin, Pinacoteca Agnelli
4
en plein air works of art
Luci d’Artista in Turin
www.contemporarytorinopiemonte.it
F
irst held in 1997, Luci d’Artista is the world’s first outdoor
light exhibition. Launched during the Christmas period, it
soon expanded abroad, becoming a veritable en plen air exhibition of works by Italian and foreign artists. Some of the works are
permanent, such as the Fibonacci series created by Mario Merz
TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE
31
© Claudia Candeli - Città di Torino
on the dome of the Mole Antonelliana, Michelangelo Pistoletto’s installation on the ancient eaves of the clock tower in Porta
Palazzo, and that by Marco Gastini in a vault of the Galleria Subalpina. These permanent works are switched on on special occasions, while alternating works by other artists, such as Buren,
Casorati, Horn and Mainolfi, are installed every year.
Public art
www.contemporarytorinopiemonte.it
B
Albero Giardino (2002),
by Giuseppe Penone.
Corso Mediterraneo Corso Ferrucci.
In Primo Luogo (1998),
by Michelangelo Pistoletto.
Centro Commerciale Garibaldi
Via Garibaldi, 18.
Cuneo con Frecce (2007),
by Arnaldo Pomodoro.
Corso XI Febbraio, 14.
Sole Aerospazio (1989),
by Giò Pomodoro.
Giardini di Piazza Adriano.
Locus Of rain (1995),
by Susumu Shingu.
Piazzale del Lingotto
Via Nizza, 262.
Abbraccio Infinito (1999),
by Luigi Stoisa.
Cortile Molasso
Via Borgo Dora, 29.
Reggia di Venaria Reale - Gardens
Ph. +39 011 4992333
Info: the gardens are open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9 am to sunset.
www.lavenaria.it
πTurin, Fontana Igloo
by Mario Merz, along the
“Spina” avenue
† Venaria Reale,
Giuseppe Penone
© Città di Torino
La Fontanella di Venere
(1997), by Enrica Borghi.
Centro Congressi
Torino Incontra
Via Costa, 8.
Punti di vista (2005),
by Tony Cragg.
Piazza D’Armi - Stadio Olimpico.
Eco (2005),
by Marc Didou.
Via Sant’Ottavio, 20.
Opera per Torino (2005),
by Per Kirkeby.
Largo Orbassano.
Fontana Igloo (2002),
by Mario Merz.
Corso Lione - Corso
Mediterraneo.
Cantatore di arcobaleno (2000),
by Mario Molinari.
Ospedale Mauriziano
Corso Filippo Turati.
© Bruna Biamino - Città di Torino
elow are some of the most interesting en plein air sculptures π Turin, Punti di vista
and installations by artists of international repute, displayed
by Tony Cragg
in Turin over the past thirty years:
T
he sculptor Giuseppe Penone has created 14 installations,
made with different materials such as bronze and marble,
in a 5-hectare area in the garden of Parco Basso in Reggia di Venaria. Each work is divided by small wooded areas, pools and
fountains, offering a reinterpretation, based on the original layout, of the former 17th century garden designed by Amedeo di
Castellamonte, who had divided the garden into large squares.
5
© Giannese&Ramella - Fondazione Teatro Regio
modern and contemporary
architecture
Teatro Regio
Turin - piazza Castello, 215 www.teatroregio.torino.it
T
he love of architect Carlo Mollino for the curvy female
figure can be seen in the symbolic correspondence between
the theatre’s plan and the image of a female bust, more markedly in the curving walls of the staircases and less so in the great
π Turin, Teatro Regio empty space of the ellipsoidal stalls. A detached gallery provides
access to the hall, while two glass bridges connect the theatre to
the foyer in the Alfieri wing.
Torre Littoria
Turin - via Viotti-piazza Castello
T
he Littoria Tower, built between 1931and 1933 by Armando Melis de Villa, was the first structure in Turin to have
an electro-welded metallic frame. The nine-storey tower, with
a small bell tower on top, is situated above a ten-storey building, for a total height of 87 metres. The tower is covered with red
brick stoneware and travertine slabs. The balconies, which are
made of glass brick, have luminous panels under the windowsills
to provide illumination at night.
Santo Volto
Turin - via Nole, con the corner with via Borgaro
www.santovolto.com
© Michele Vacchiano - Città di Torino
† Turin, Santo Volto
6
T
he Santo Volto parish church, designed by the Swiss architect Mario Botta, was built in an area which underwent
considerable post-industrial transformation. Inaugurated in December 2006, it features seven elements on the perimeter that
rise towards the sky, like arms in search of the light. Light filters
through seven skylights in the higher part of the roof to illuminate the central area, while seven other skylights (lower than the
first) provide light to the side chapels. The post-modern bell
tower, which incorporates the former chimney of the ironworks
and is decorated with a spire ascending from the earth up to the
sky, houses nine chime bells. Most of the building is made with
natural materials such as stone, brick and wood.
TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE
31
Turin - corso Castelfidardo, 22
www.officinegrandiriparazioni.it
O
fficine Grandi Riparazioni, built between 1885 and 1895,
represents a particularly significant example of early industrial development in Turin. It was designed to be a state-of-the-art
repair centre for railway engines and coaches, being close to the π Turin, OGR
railway that connected Turin to Milan. Inside, rows of large castiron pillars remind viewers of impressive naves in a “cathedral”
† Turin, National Automobile
that pays tribute to Turin’s industrial history.
Museum
s
The Officine was operational until the 1990 , when it was transformed into a large exhibition venue, measuring over 20,000
square metres in size.
Mauto - National Automobile Museum
Turin - corso Unità d’Italia, 40 - Ph. +39 011 677666/7/8
Info: open Mondays, 10.00-14.00; Tuesdays, 14.00-19.00;
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, 10.00-19.00, Fridays and
Saturdays, 10.00-21.00.
www.museoauto.it
T
he National Museum of Cars, built in 1958 by Amedeo Albertini, is situated on a hill that slopes towards the River Po. Special care and attention were placed in the design of vantage points
and construction details. Reopened in 2011 following restoration
by the architect Cino Zucchi, the museum’s outfitting has been
further enhanced by the Swiss-French designer François Confino.
Lingotto multipurpose centre
Turin - via Nizza, 230
T
he 1920s FIAT car factory was renovated by Renzo Piano,
whose project, based on a combination of multipurpose
venues, maintained the building’s original architectural image and
made use of highly technological construction elements. Worthy
of note are a series of playful elements, such as the spectacular
glass bubble in the scenic conference hall and the large auditorium with a moving roof, created in one of the existing courtyards.
© Andrea Guermani - Museo dell’Automobile di Torino
Ogr - Officine Grandi Riparazioni
© Bruna Biamino - Città di Torino
urban reconversion
and olympic works
“Torino Inedita
Unknown Turin”
Sightseeing Tour
The “Torino Inedita” sightseeing tour
offers an alternative, unexpected Turin, touching on areas of unexplored
charm, such as Eataly, Officine Grandi
Riparazioni (now an exhibition venue),
the renovated Car Museum, the former Lingotto production plant (with
the Giovanni and Marella Agnelli Picture Gallery), the infrastructures built
for the 2006 Winter Olympics, and a
number of contemporary art trusts.
www.turismotorino.org/en/
citysightseeing
7
Oval
Turin - via Nizza, 294
T
© Agnese
he Oval sports facility was built by Studio Zoppini Associati in the Lingotto district for the 2006 Winter Olympics.
The aim was to create suitable sports facilities and, at the same
time, provide Turin with a venue that could be used for exhibitions, trade shows and other events. The Oval project, therefore,
forms part of a wider programme for the urban renovation and
π Turin, Oval reconversion of Turin’s industrial area.
Palavela
† Turin, Palavela
Turin - via Ventimiglia, 145
www.palavelatorino.it
T
© Agnese
he symbol of the 1961 International Labour Exhibition
was designed in 1959 by Franco Levi and Annibale and
Giorgio Rigotti. The cloister dome results from the intersection
of three vaults, forming a cross vault and creating a special hexagonal shape. The building was renovated in 2003 by the architect
Gae Aulenti in view of the 2006 Winter Olympics, after which
the Palavela returned to hosting figure skating and cultural events.
EVENTS
Artissima
International exhibition
of contemporary art
Town/Venue: Turin
Time of year: November
First held in 1994, Artissima has gained an international reputation as the most important contemporary art exhibition in Italy in the sector of
new galleries and emerging artists. It has become
a must-see event for workers in the industry, collectors and art lovers. Additional events, in which
visual arts mix with literature, cinema, music,
dancing, design and architecture, are included in
Artissima’s action-packed programme, making it
an attraction involving the entire city.
www.artissima.it
8
Paratissima
Town/Venue: Turin
Time of year: November
Paratissima was first held in 2005 with the aim
of providing an art alternative to Artissima. The
project offers the opportunity to hold art-related
events in unconventional venues - not museums or
art galleries, but shops, company premises, bars,
private locations, and so on. Dedicated to various
target audiences, the event lasts three days and
includes exhibitions, shows and concerts involving all kinds of artists who would not be able to
perform or exhibit in normal venues. Paratissima
was first held in a flat, and later in the former Le
Nuove jail. It has been held in the San Salvario
district since 2009.
www.paratissima.it
TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE
Turin - strada comunale di Altessano, 131
www.juventus.com
T
he futuristic Juventus stadium, inaugurated in 2011, is an
innovative project featuring hanging gangways to access
the stands. This enables a new, more enthralling view of the
soccer field, from which all visual barriers between the players
and spectators have been removed. And yet, the stadium is not
merely a centre of sports events. Its design - reminiscent of a
town square, with shops, bars, restaurants, and so on, open all
week - contributes to the renovation and reconversion of the
urban area in which it is situated. The involvement of Pininfarina Extra and Giugiaro Design, the two most prestigious
industrial design brands on the international market, contributed enormously to the class and elegance of the building.
Palasport Olimpico
Turin - corso Sebastopoli, 123
www.palaolimpicotorino.it
T
his indoor stadium, seating 14,350 people, is the largest
building of its kind in Italy. The international competition
held for its design was won by an Italian team led by the architect Arata Isozaki. The futuristic building is a stern Cartesian
parallelepiped covered with stainless steel and glass. The fourstorey building has a completely flexible, modular structure in
terms of stand arrangement, acoustics and facilities.
Eataly
Turin - via Nizza, 230, int. 14 - Ph. +39 011 19506801
Info: open every day, 10.00-22.30.
www.eatalytorino.it
Historical
Ceres-Turin line
The Turin-Ceres railway, along
with those of Val Vigezzo and
Colle di Tenda, is one of the
oldest Alpine railroads in Italy.
The stations along the line that
connects Lanzo Torinese with
Ceres were built between the
19th and 20th centuries. Their
“Swiss chalet” style, with an
Art Nouveau interpretation,
makes them an unusual cultural monument characterising the entire railway. The Art
Nouveau-style stations are
Lanzo Torinese, Germagnano,
Funghera, Traves, Losa, Pessinetto, Mezzenile and Ceres.
Info: departure from Turin,
GTT Dora station, via Giachino.
www.comune.torino.it/gtt/
airport
† Turin, Palasport Olimpico
© Agnese
Juventus Stadium
31
T
he former Carpano plant for the production of the historical Carpano Vermouth has been carefully restored
and is now the premises of Eataly, a 10,000 square metre
venue dedicated entirely to wine and food. Indeed, Eataly is
emblematic of Turin’s newfound commitment to promote
and spread awareness of the local food and wine culture. The
building houses the small Museo Carpano, dedicated to the
history of Vermouth.
9
TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE
Susa Valley
32
Sacred and profane masterpieces
GPS Sauze d’Oulx
Lat. 45°02'00"N
Long. 6°51'00"E
GPS Sant’Ambrogio
Lat. 45°06'00"N
Long. 7°22'00"E
These two man-made elements are very different in style, but
share the same innovative aim - one is a chalet that fits perfectly into the landscape, high up on the side of a mountain, while
the other is a huge statue standing before an ancient abbey.
Chalet Mollino
Sauze d’Oulx (TO) - Ph. +39 0122 858009 (Tourism Office)
Info: can be reached by car (dirt road) or chairlift from Sauze
d’Oulx to Sportinia. From Sportinia to Mollino: 20-minute
walk (gently uphill) or “Rocce Nere” chair lift (mid July - mid
August). Once there it is a 15 minute downhill walk.
T
SANT’AMBROGIO
SAUZE
D’OULX
he Capanna Lago, also known as “Chalet Mollino” (2300 m
a.s.l.), is one of the few remaining masterpieces by the famous architect Carlo Mollino (1905-1973). In Mollino’s own words: “Bound
to fit perfectly into the landscape, the building escapes the mountain’s
immobility, with a coherent, energetic, plastic twist, which achieves
a slight, dynamic and lyrically expressive fluidity in the airborne elements of reinforced concrete. With white cement foundations […],
which blend into the purity of the snow, the chalet’s dark upper volume
seems almost to be in flight.” The bar-restaurant houses a museum
area dedicated to the life and work of the famous architect from Turin.
Statue of Archangel Michael
Sacra di San Michele
© Francesco Bogetti - Vialattea
Sant’Ambrogio (TO) - via alla Sacra, 14 - Ph. +39 011 939130
10
Info: winter opening hours (16th October – 15th March): week days, 9.3012.30; 14.30-17.00; holidays, 9.30-12.00; 14.40-17.00; summer opening hours
† Sauze d’Oulx, Chalet Mollino (16th March – 15th October): week days, 9.30-12.30; 14.30-18.00; holidays,
9.30-12.00; 14.40-18.30. Last entrance: 30 minutes before closing time.
www.sacradisanmichele.com
S
ince the 24th of September 2005, the millenary Sacra di San Michele
abbey is guarded by a massive statue of Archangel Michael. The statue is over 5 metres tall, with an approximate weight of about 3400 kg, and
was built by Paul dë Doss-Moroder, a sculptor from Trentino Alto
Adige. It constitutes a very original interpretation of Good defeating Evil.
TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE
3
The Canavese region
Where art comes naturally
The Canavese region has many interesting historical sites, while also
devoting considerable resources to innovation and contemporary
art, as shown by its outdoor museums and the Rivara Art Centre.
Macam
Outdoor museum of contemporary art
Maglione (TO) - via Castello, 2 - Ph. +39 0161 400113 www.macam.org
T
he Museum, conceived by Maurizio Corgnati, was established in 1985, and boasts over 160 works of art on display
in the streets of Maglione.
Maam
Open air museum of modern architecture
Ivrea (TO) - via Jervis - Ph. +39 0125 410311 / +39 0125 410313 www.maam.ivrea.it
GPS Maglione
Lat. 45°21'00"N
Long. 8°01'00"E
GPS Ivrea
Lat. 45°27'44"N
Long. 7°52'29"E
GPS Torre Canavese
Lat. 45°23'00"N
Long. 7°46'00"E
GPS Rivara
Lat. 45°20'00"N
Long. 7°38'00"E
A
journey through Ivrea’s rich modern architectural heritage.
Guided tours are available.
TORRE
CANAVESE
Open air museum of Russian artists
and artists from the Canavese region
RIVARA
IVREA
MAGLIONE
Torre Canavese (TO) www.torrecanavese.piemonte.it
ore than 80 works of art by former USSR artists and
painters from the Canavese region are displayed in the
central streets of Torre Canavese.
Centre of contemporary art, Rivara Castle
Rivara(TO) - piazza Sillano, 2 - Ph. +39 0124 31122
Info: Fridays, 14.00-19.00; Saturdays and Sundays, 10.00-13.00 and 14.0019.00. Open only when exhibitions are held. www.castellodirivara.it
M
ade up of two 12th-14th century buildings renovated in the
19th century, the Art Centre houses a library with about 20,000
books, a photograph archive and Franz Paludetto’s historical art gallery.
† Ivrea, MAAM, workshops
© Turismo Torino e Provincia
M
11
www.cuneoholiday.com
Caraglio and Saluzzo
Making way for cultural excellence
GPS Caraglio
Lat. 44°25'02"N
Long. 7°25'40"E
GPS Saluzzo
Lat. 44°38'43"N
Long. 7°29'15"E
The oldest silk factory in Europe and a significant cross section of
the current artistic scenario - this is what the Caraglio Spinning
Mill and the IGAV Exhibition in Castiglia di Saluzzo have to
offer. Namely, a journey through history and contemporary art.
Spinning mill (Filatoio)
and Capuchin Convent
Caraglio (CN)- Spinning mill: via Matteotti, 40 - Ph. +39 0171 618300
(ticket office); Associazione Marcovaldo and CeSAC: via Cappuccini, 29
Ph. +39 0171 618260
SALUZZO
© Matteo Gazzera - ATL del Cuneese
T
he Caraglio Spinning Mill, built between 1676 and 1678,
is the oldest “silk factory” in Europe, and comprised attractive living quarters for the silk weavers - something that was
† Caraglio, truly unique in 17th century Piedmont. For this reason the buildConvent of the Capuchin Friars ing looks a bit like a fortress, with two internal courtyards on a
regular, symmetrical plan, and a façade decorated with round
towers. Circular throwing machines, exactly like the ones used in
the 17th century to weave silk, have been recreated inside the mill.
They are the first elements in the Piedmont Silk Factory Museum.
The Marcovaldo Association started organising international exhibitions of ancient and modern art in this venue in 2002. The
exhibition activities are an example of cultural excellence in the
province of Cuneo and include events dedicated to important
themes (such as Time, Landscapes, Animals and art), to the history of fabric and fashion (the events are, after all, held in a spinning mill), to the valorisation of important contemporary artists
CARAGLIO
12
Info: please visit the www.marcovaldo.it web site for
information on the spinning mill opening hours.
The Capuchin Convent is open to the public on request,
Mondays to Fridays, 9.00-12.00 and 15.00-18.00
(closed on midweek holidays).
34
© Tommaso Mattina - ATL del Cuneese
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT
from Piedmont, to Italian and European art, and to important π Caraglio, Spinning mill
private collections. The headquarters of the Marcovaldo Cultural
Association are in the Capuchin Convent, built in 1689. The asEVENTS
sociation promotes the activities of CeSAC (Experimental Centre
for Contemporary Arts). Gartden, a permanent exhibition in the
gardens surrounding the convent, offers a collection of sculptures
Saluzzo Arte and installations by important contemporary artists.
Contemporary
art exhibition
Saluzzo (CN) - Castiglia, piazza Castello - Ph. +39 011 19781500 (IGAV)
+39 0175 46710 (IAT Tourism Office)
Info: every Sunday and holidays from 25th March to 7th October
2012, 15.00-19.00 (open on Saturdays, 15.00-19.00, when
temporary exhibitions are being held).
www.igav-art.org
I
Town/Venue: Antiche Scuderie
ex Caserma Mario Musso, piazza
Montebello 1
Time of year: April and May
Saluzzo Arte offers a journey through
contemporary art, with sections
dedicated to painting, sculpture,
graphics, engraving, photography
and design. The exhibition, which
offers emerging artists the chance
to display their works, is organised
by Fondazione Amleto Bertoni.
naugurated in the autumn of 2009, the exhibition is the
mainstay of the multiyear programme “Saluzzo Contemporanea. An IGAV popular art project”. Works of contemporary
Info: +39 0175 43527
art from the Garuzzo Visual Arts Institute of Turin and loaned
by artists and art dealers are exhibited at the Castiglia. The aim
is to offer a representative cross section of the current art sce- † Saluzzo, Castiglia
nario through a selection of works of art. “Dalla cella all’atelier”,
which opened in September 2011, is a new exhibition on the
history of a jail transformed into a creative workshop. Since it
was established, IGAV has hosted the works of more than forty
artists, and is constantly committed to addressing themes related to contemporary art through temporary exhibitions (collective exhibitions of young, emerging and well-known artists,
and solo exhibitions of great masters), meetings, conferences
and other cultural initiatives.
© Dario Fusaro - ATL del Cuneese
Permanent exhibition and collection
Igav at the Castiglia
13
www.langheroero.it
Langhe and Roero
The hidden soul of the hills
GPS Alba
Lat. 44°42'01"N
Long. 8°02'10"E
GPS Dogliani
Lat. 44°31'48"N
Long. 7°56'42"E
This region, with its gentle hills, beautiful landscape and
sweet fragrances, is mainly known for its excellent food and
wine. And yet, discovering its hidden soul - its excellence in
art - is an amazingly rewarding experience.
Spazio Gallizio
Alba (CN) - Centro Studi Beppe Fenoglio - piazza Rossetti, 2
Ph. +39 0173 364623
Info: Tuesdays to Fridays, 9.00-12.00 and 15.00-18.00;
Saturdays, 9.00- 12.00. Free entry.
www.centrostudibeppefenoglio.it
© Courtesy Archivio Gallizio
S
14
pazio Gallizio - a venue dedicated to Giuseppe (“Pinot”)
Gallizio, the artist who invented industrial painting - is situated on the second floor of the Beppe Fenoglio Study Centre. It
ALBA
houses the “Anticamera della morte” (Antechamber of death)
installation, donated to the town of Alba by the Archivio Gallizio, which also donated images and documents related to the
DOGLIANI
life and history of the artist in a special setting - the library in
the Gallizio family home. Pinot Gallizio, who died in February
1964, created the Antechamber of death a few months before
† L’Anticamera della morte his death, by arranging a number of heterogeneous items that
he had collected during his lifetime (he had been a partisan, a
pharmacist, a chemist and an archaeologist, as well as a painter)
on a bookcase in his study, and then applying a monochromatic
layer of carbon black over them. It is a kind of wunderkammer
in reverse, through which Gallizio’s artistic research approached
the new style of the European and international neo-avant-garde
movements. The installation is a must-see opportunity to learn
about the great eclectic star of European artistic research in the
1950s and 1960s, as well as a chance to meet the hidden soul of
Alba, the capital of the Langhe region and a town most people
know for its food and wine.
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT
53
© Comune di Dogliani
Un sogno di città: percorso sulle
opere di Giovanni Battista Schellino
[A city dream: journey through the work
of Giovanni Battista Schellino]
Dogliani (CN) - piazza Einaudi, 9 - Ph. +39 0173 70210 (Infoturismo)
www.comune.dogliani.cn.it
he town of Dogliani, with the help of the local parish church,
the Friends of the Museum, the Dogliani Comprehensive
Institute and the Orma del Leone Youth Association, has set
up an extensive cultural project to remember the great works of π Dogliani, Civic Hospital
the eclectic artist, Giovanni Battista Schellino (1818-1905),
through an ‘artistic journey’ involving the entire town, in the
natural setting of the master’s works.
†Dogliani,
This famous “town planner”, who worked in the second half of the
Monumental Cemetery
19th century, gave the town of Dogliani some very unusual features
that are a far cry from the standards of the time, providing the town
with a monumental appearance that is unlikely to go unnoticed.
Here is a heterogeneous jubilation of neoclassical domes and neogothic spires, medieval towers and Wagnerian settings, and all on a
backdrop of rolling green hills. The contrast is skilfully harmonious,
fitting perfectly into the landscape and providing a wealth of evocative scenes. The aim of the project is to pay homage to this brilliant
architect and introduce visitors to the character and work of a man
who is often - wrongly - considered a minor artist, but whose historical heritage is in fact of considerable importance, and not just locally.
© Comune di Dogliani
T
Buildings designed by Giovanni Battista Schellino
Monumental Cemetery
(1867)
The cemetery - made up of dark,
coarse, handmade bricks held together by mortar and rostrate iron
crosses and wrought iron gates
- is Schellino’s most imaginative
and exclusive reinterpretation of
Gothic architecture. This wiry,
cutting creation is completely
symmetrical and yet unpredictable and mysterious.
Cappella dell’Immacolata
Concezione
e di San Giuseppe (1870)
The chapel, also known as “del
Paramù” (dialect for the wall
defences of the fortifications of
Castello, one of the two ancient
villages of Dogliani), was built by
Schellino to extend the church
of San Lorenzo. The chapel has
very evident neoclassical elements, and is inspired by a widespread model of that time, reminiscent of the Pantheon.
Civic Hospital
(1878-1888)
The Civic Hospital was built to replace the old Casa dell’Ospedale,
which had fallen into very poor
repair. Neoclassical and neoromantic elements may be
glimpsed in the eclectic architecture of the hospital, whose
facade features exposed bricks
and stones and ends with a garish ledge with suspended arches,
which incorporate the round windows on the third floor.
15
www.alexala.it
Alessandria
and Casale Monferrato
A stroll, amidst hats and sculptures
GPS Alessandria
Lat. 44°54'29"N
Long. 8°36'54"E
GPS Casale Monferrato
Lat. 45°08'05"N
Long. 8°27'10"E
Two buildings, two worlds to explore: Palazzo Borsalino is
the keeper of the famous Borsalino hats, synonymous with
quality Italian production, while the Bistolfi Plaster Art
Gallery is the ideal place in which to admire drawings,
marble sculptures and sketches.
Palazzo Borsalino - Hat Museum
Alessandria - via Cavour, 84 - Ph. +39 0131 234794 / +39 0131 40035
Info: open Saturdays and Sundays, 16.00-19.00.
www.comune.alessandria.it
B
© ATL Alexala
orsalino’s adventure began more than one hundred and fifty
years ago. Today, the company, which over the years has
CASALE
come
to symbolise quality Italian production, is the crowning
MONFERRATO
jewel of the town of Alessandria, and one of the most prestigious
hat brands in the world.
The Museum, situated in the Sala Campioni in Palazzo BorsaliALESSANDRIA
no, has a sample of every single hat produced in the factory since
1857, when the company was established. Visitors can admire
about 2000 hats of very different styles and colours, exhibited
in historical cabinets designed by Arnaldo Gardella. The exhi† Alessandria, bition guides visitors through all the phases of the company’s
Borsalino Hat Museum production, in a conscious and long-sighted effort to protect the
16
63
© ATL Alexala
company’s history and its aesthetic and cultural heritage. Every
section of the exhibition is introduced by a video explaining the
topics addressed, with more information supplied through three
multimedia workstations.
The Hat Museum does not simply represent the famous company’s production history. It is also a vivid account of the very
tight bond that links the company to its surrounding area.
Many significant architectural works of Italian rationalism,
designed by Ignazio Gardella, were commissioned by Borsalino, such as the Anti-tuberculosis Clinic, the Laboratory of
Hygiene and Prophylaxis, the house for Borsalino employees, πAlessandria,
the Fur Cutting House, and the Teresio Borsalino Hospital
Borsalino Hat Museum
and Sanatorium.
© ATL Alexala
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT
π Casale Monferrato,
Casale Monferrato (AL) - via Cavour, 5 - Ph. +39 0142 444309 / +39 0142 444249
Info: open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8.30-12.30 and 14.30-16.30;
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 10.30-13.00 and 15.00-18.30.
www.comune.casale-monferrato.al.it
T
he civic collections of the town of Casale are situated in the
halls of the Santa Croce Augustinian Convent, built during
the 12th century and often renovated in later years.
The Plaster Art Gallery dedicated to Leonardo Bistolfi (Casale
Monferrato 1859 – La Loggia 1933) is on the ground floor. Its
five halls contain over 170 works by the sculptor, including drawings, terracotta and plasticine items, sketches, chalk models, and
works in marble and bronze. These works of art help visitors understand how the artist developed and grew, starting from the
works influenced by the Scapigliatura movement (Gli Amanti)
and the Verismo movement (Il boaro), touching on his Symbolist period (La patria), and ending with his more mature
works (Monumento a Carducci).
Bistolfi Plaster Art Gallery,
first hall
† Casale Monferrato,
Civic Tower
© ATL Alexala
Leonardo Bistolfi Plaster Art Gallery
17
www.astiturismo.it
Asti and Bubbio
Art in towns and vineyards
GPS Asti
Lat. 44°53'58"N
Long. 8°12'17"E
GPS Bubbio
Lat. 44°39'49"N
Long. 8°17'37"E
Lovers of modern and contemporary art should not miss out
on the opportunity to visit an elegant nobleman’s mansion, a
former beer brewery housing an important cultural trust and
a museum surrounded by vineyards. Palazzo Mazzetti - Civic picture gallery
Asti - corso Alfieri, 357 - Ph. +39 0141 530403
Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10.30-18.30. www.palazzomazzetti.it
P
ASTI
BUBBIO
© Palazzo Mazzetti
† Asti, Palazzo Mazzetti,
G. Grosso, La femme
18
alazzo Mazzetti is the most elegant 18th century nobleman’s
mansion in Asti. Painstaking renovation works restored it to
its former splendour, and it has been a museum and a temporary
exhibition venue since. In 2011, a civic picture gallery was set up
in the building. Two important works of art by Giacomo Grosso
and Lorenzo Delleani, dating back to 1895, can be admired on
the ground floor. The second floor houses sections dedicated
to modern and contemporary art, and includes works acquired
by the town council from Piedmont artists such as Soffiantino,
Paulucci, Pittatore, Nogaro and Quaglia, and other artists of the
calibre of Guttuso, Spazzapan and Vespignani.
Associazione Fondo Giov-Anna Piras
Asti - via Brofferio, 80 - Ph. +39 0141 352111
Info: open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10.00-12.30 and 15.00-19.30;
Sundays, 17.00-19.30. www.fondopiras.com
T
he Trust was established by the eclectic artist Flavio Piras in
memory of his mother and sister, Giovanna and Anna, with
the aim of preserving and valorising a multiform cultural heritage
comprising contemporary works of art and photography, designer
items, film critiques and essays, art and literature publications, and
audio documents, as well as a precious collection of wine and la-
73
© Associazione Fondo Piras
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT
Asti, Piras Trust Exhibition
bels, in a fascinating encounter between artists and vineyards, years
and vintages - here are Burri, Frank, Berio, Manzoni, Gaja, Visconti,
Demetrio Stratos, Weston, Merz, Elvis Presley, Sottsass, Paolini,
Cage, Conterno, Beecroft, Cartier-Bresson, Gonzalez-Torres,
Biondi-Santi. And that’s not all. Here also are the first manifestos
of the Futurism movement, and the book bound with two bolts
by Depero, the “anguria lirica” book [lyric watermelon] published
by Litolatta, labels by Bacon, Miró, Picasso on the bottles of Château Mouton Rothschild, the complete series of the Bianco e Nero
magazine, and first edition Beatles records. The museum is situated
right in the middle of the town, in via Brofferio. The building used
to house the Metzger Brothers’ beer brewery, and is an attractive
example of the industrial architecture of the late 19th century. It was
renovated without altering the main structural elements and light
sources. Temporary exhibitions are now held in its large halls.
π Bubbio, Mayer Park
Quirin Mayer sculpture park
Bubbio (AT) - Regione Sant’Ippolito, 218
Ph. +39 0144 83502 / +39 347 8478915
Info: well signposted; the park is always open.
www.comune.bubbio.at.it
www.mayer-quirin.com
T
he park, which has a good view of the Langa Astigiana region, is made up of five terraces in which nineteen large
sculptures, made of lacquered aluminium sheets, can be admired. The sculptures on the second and fourth terrace are set on
pedestals in the centre of water pools. The third terrace contains
an amphitheatre for musical and theatre performances. Two
more sculptures stand in the historical centre of Bubbio.
Quirin Mayer was born in
Basil and settled in the Langhe
region at the end of a brilliant
business career. He then started
painting abstract geometrical
shapes on canvas using acrylic
paints. Over time, as a result
of a completely natural process, his painting compositions
turned into waterjet-cut sculptures. Intense colours, one of
the main traits of Mayer’s work,
express the artist’s joy for life.
His sculptures have been exhibited in Acqui Terme and in a
number of European countries
(France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Belgium).
† Bubbio, Mayer Park
© ATL AstiTurismo
© ATL AstiTurismo
Quirin Mayer
19
www.atlvalsesiavercelli.it
Vercelli
A veritable treasure chest
GPS Vercelli
Lat. 45°19'26"N
Long. 8°25'23"E
A shrine for priceless treasures - Arca has hosted, and continues to host, a vast number of highly admired exhibitions, and
is considered the second most important exhibition centre of
modern and contemporary art in Piedmont, after Turin.
San Marco Church,
Arca exhibition centre
Vercelli - piazzetta San Marco, 1 - Ph. +39 0161 596333
VERCELLI
Info: open only during exhibitions and shows.
www.comune.vercelli.it www.guggenheimvercelli.it
© ATL Valsesia Vercelli
“A
20
rca” (Italian for ‘ark’) was considered the most appropriate name for a “safe haven” in which to safeguard priceless works of art. This has been the venue’s mission, ever since
its opening in 2007 in the town of Vercelli. Arca is a very modern
structure, made of glass and steel, placed in the central nave of
the church of San Marco. This simple yet innovative parallelepi† Vercelli, ped has become one of the town’s symbols, epitomising the will
Basilica of Sant’Andrea and ability to combine antique and contemporary elements. The
crystal vaults of the Arca are transparent, so that the majestic
medieval vaults of the church can be admired from inside the
parallelepiped. Furthermore, the church’s marvellous frescos,
after being covered with whitewash for years, are being skilfully
restored by the young restorers of the Conservation and Restoration Centre of Venaria Reale.
Taking up only part of the central nave, the Arca effectively splits
the church interior into two different areas. One, the Arca’s interior, is fitted with all the latest technologies to guarantee observance of the international standards for the exhibition of works
of art. The other, larger area is made up of the side naves and
the apse, and is available for events linked to the internal exhibitions or other unrelated events. Every year, important exhibi-
© ATL Valsesia Vercelli
tions organised by the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (with the
help of the Municipality of Vercelli and the Region of Piedmont)
are held in the Arca, making Vercelli the second most important
exhibition centre of modern and contemporary art in Piedmont,
after Turin. The silent naves of the church of San Marco welcome important international works of art by artists such as
Chagall, Mondrian, Miró, Calder, Picasso, Pollock, De Chirico,
Modigliani, Duchamp, Dalí, Magritte, Matisse, Cézanne, and
many more besides. The works, on loan from various Guggenheim museums around the world and from private trusts, are
arranged in original and carefully designed exhibition paths, in
which the artistic genius of the great masters of contemporary art
emerges with surprising strength. Here, it is possible to admire, π Vercelli,
in a single venue, the works that the art patron Peggy GuggenPiazza Cavour
heim loved so dearly and that represented a real turning point
for art, leading to the birth of important avant-garde movements.
During the various Guggenheim exhibitions, the Vercelli Town
Council’s Office for Culture organises a number of additional
events linked to the exhibition and to the town itself, opening
visitors to the town’s rich artistic and cultural heritage. The exhibition centre is situated in the town’s attractive historical centre,
half way between the Basilica of Sant’Andrea (the majestic historical and artistic symbol of Vercelli) and Piazza Cavour, previously the site of an ancient Roman “forum” and currently the
throbbing heart of Vercelli. This harmoniously elegant square,
with pavements soberly decorated with arabesques and long rows
of stone tiles, features attractive porticoes on all its four sides.
83
© ATL Valsesia Vercelli
Northern Piedmont
Vercelli, Arca
21
www.turismonovara.it
Novara
and the surrounding area
Contemporary art
and “renaissance” workshops
GPS Novara
Lat. 45°26'45"N
Long. 8°37'19"E
GPS Galliate
Lat. 45°28'39"N
Long. 8°41'43"E
GPS Casalbeltrame
Lat. 45°26'11"N
Long. 8°28'04"E
GALLIATE
NOVARA
CASALBELTRAME
The region of Novara offers many kinds of cultural events
related to modern and contemporary art, as well as the truly
unique Materima, a citadel of sculpture.
Museum of contemporary art
Angelo Bozzola
Galliate (NO) - Castello Visconteo-Sforzesco, piazza Vittorio Veneto
Ph. +39 0321 800763 (Galliate Town Council, Office for Culture)
www.comune.galliate.no.it
T
he museum dedicated to Angelo Bozzola comprises the underground vaults of Visconti Sforza Castle, as well as the three
floors of the north-eastern tower in the northern battlement, the
northern courtyard and the external moat. It houses over 140 works
of art, donated to the town of Galliate in 1998. The permanent exhibition includes sculptures, installations, paintings, graphic works and
artist’s books created by the artist throughout his lifetime. The earliest
works are paintings and Constructivist creations dating back to 1954,
when the artist joined the Movimento Arte Concreta, while the last
belong to the great symbolic sculpture series Origine (1988). Booking
is required for guided tours. The Casa-Museo Fondazione Angelo Bozzola in Galliate hosts about 2000 works by the same artist.
Materima
© ATL Novara
† Casalbeltrame, Materima
22
Casalbeltrame (NO) - via Umberto I, 2 - Ph. +39 02 67075049 www.materima.it
M
aterima, measuring over 20,000 square metres in size, is an
international centre for the design, creation and exhibition
of plastic art: a veritable citadel of sculpture. Here, artists will find
everything they need to create their works, including marble workshops, a foundry, chalcography facilities, art studios and guest flats,
and can work together in the true spirit of Renaissance workshops.
Northern Piedmont
93
Galleria d’Arte Moderna
© ATL Novara
This project sets out to prevent now rare trades (such as marble
chiseller, wax retoucher and bronze chaser) from vanishing altogether. The larger works of art, in the park and courtyard, include
items by Bodini, Manzù, Maraniello, Messina, Perez, Arnaldo and
Giò Pomodoro. Temporary exhibitions displaying works by worldfamous artists are held in Materima during the year.
Angelo Bozzola
Ex Istituto Metalli Leggeri
Angelo Bozzola (1921-2010), a
world-famous artist from Galliate, painted his first abstract
paintings and created his first
plastic figures in iron at the beginning of the 1950s. In 1955
he began elaborating his own
trapezium-ovoid monoshape,
whose developments characterised his later work. In the 1970s
he experimented more and
more with techniques and materials, with multiples, graphs on
metal, use of photographic film
and large space-time sculptures.
Later, his structural sign creations shifted to granite elements.
Bozzola left a strong and undying cultural mark on Galliate.
Novara - via Bovio, 6 - Ph. +39 0321 697174 (Novara Development Trust)
www.fondazioneangelobozzola.it
Paolo e Adele Giannoni
Novara - Broletto - via Rosselli, 20 - Ph. +39 0321 3702770
Info: open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 14.00-19.00; Sundays, 10.00-19.00;
Wednesdays, 9.00-12.00 (only for schools, booking required).
www.brolettodinovara.it
T
o celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, after
lengthy restoration the Broletto reopened to the public with the
Paolo e Adele Giannoni Gallery of Modern Art, containing a prestigious collection donated by Alfredo Giannoni, awarded the title of
Cavaliere del Lavoro, to the town of Novara. Alfredo Giannoni (18621944), from Novara, was interested in the paintings and sculptures of
his time, and at the beginning of the 20th century, started collecting
works of art by local artists. His collection gradually became larger
and more varied, soon boasting works by artists from all over Italy.
T
he Istituto Sperimentale Metalli Leggeri was designed by the † Novara, Paolo e Adele Giannoni
Renzo Piano Building Workshop firm in Paris and built
Gallery of Modern Art
between 1985 and 1986, following the desire of Alumix, the parent
company of the Italian aluminium group, to establish its Research
Centre in Novara. The building is currently the headquarters of the
Novara Development Trust and of the Scientific and Technological
Centre of Novara. The site houses many important research centres,
as well as numerous faculties of the “A. Avogadro” university of eastern Piedmont. The institute, formed by two three-storey buildings,
comprises a system of light aluminium glazing - one of the building’s main features - in contrast with a strong frame of joined, prefabricated cement components. Inside, balustrades, parquet flooring and plants soften the main frame, while the building as a whole
can be admired through transparent internal glass partitions.
© ATL Novara
www.novarasviluppo.it
23
www.distrettolaghi.it
Lake district
Where Nature meets Art
GPS Verbania Pallanza
Lat. 45°55'17"N
Long. 8°33'03"E
GPS Omegna
Lat. 45°52'32"N
Long. 8°24'32"E
In this stunning corner of Piedmont, an enchanting natural
setting forms the background to equally enchanting museums
and exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and industrial
archaeology.
Museo del Paesaggio [Landscape Museum]
Verbania Pallanza - via Ruga, 44 - Ph. +39 0323 556621
Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays.
www.museodelpaesaggio.it
T
he Landscape Museum in Verbania Pallanza houses important collections of sculptures and paintings, as well as
OMEGNA
sections dedicated to archaeology and popular religion.
Painting section. Visitors may first admire 15th century frescoes,
moving then on into halls with works from the 1850s to the early
1900s, most of which depict the lakes and mountains of Verbania
and the surrounding region.
Sculpture section. This section hosts works by the Russian
sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy (Intra, 1866-1938), by Arturo
Martini (1889- 1947) and by other artists who lived between
the 19th and 20th centuries and who worked in this area at some
† Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella time in their lives.
© Scenari srl - Andrea Lazzarini Editore, Stresa (VB)
VERBANIA
PALLANZA
24
Popular religion section
Inaugurated in 1999, this section –
dedicated to popular religion, art and
culture – is situated in a 15th century
building, Palazzo Biumi-Innocenti,
which was assigned to the museum
by the Municipality of Verbania and
restored with EU funding. There
are 5023 painted votive offerings
(although only some are exhibited)
donated to the museum by Eugenio
Cefis, ranging from the 16th to the 20th
century, and stemming from every
part of Italy and from Mexico. There
is also a collection of about 80,000
sacred images (known as “santini”)
from all over the world. The collection can be viewed on request.
Info: +39 0323 556621
10
3
© Sergio Ronchi-Museo del Paesaggio
Northern Piedmont
Archaeology section. Items from the graves of Ornavasso (VB)
form the most important elements in this section. There are over
1500 items in the museum, providing information on how a local
Celtic tribe, the Leponti, evolved and were gradually incorporated into the Roman Empire.
Popular religion section. This section is situated in Palazzo
Biumi-Innocenti, in Verbania Pallanza.
π Verbania Pallanza,
Landscape Museum,
Plaster Art Gallery
Fondazione Museo Arti e Industria Forum
Omegna (VB) - Parco Maulini, 1 - Ph. +39 0323 866141
Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays. Free entry.
www.forumomegna.org
he Museum of Arts and Industry Forum Trustis a multipurpose venue established to promote research on the industrialisation of Omegna and the Cusio region, to preserve the † Omegna, Fondazione Museo
historical memory of the area’s industry and handicrafts and to
Arti e Industria Forum
preserve documents related to local technology procedures. The
Forum, situated in a former industrial area, houses a permanent
collection of items from famous local industries producing
household goods (such as Bialetti, Alessi and Lagostina). These
manufacturing companies have made Omegna the town with
the highest production of coffee machines, pans and kitchenware, as all those items that have revolutionised culinary culture
in Italy and the world. Temporary exhibitions held periodically
focus on a number of subjects and themes, with special attention given to younger visitors.
The Literary Park dedicated to Gianni Rodari, a poet and writer
of fairytales and yet another example of local creativity and skill, is
housed in the halls of the Forum and Recreation Centre.
© Distretto Turistico dei Laghi
T
25
www.atl.biella.it
Biella and the Wool Road
Between past and future
GPS Biella
Lat. 45°33'58"N
Long. 8°03'14"E
GPS Pray
Lat. 45°40'34"N
Long. 8°12'31"E
PRAY
© Lyle Roblin - ATL Biella
Cittadellarte - Fondazione Pistoletto
Biella - via Serralunga, 27 - Ph. +39 015 28400
Info: open Tuesdays to Fridays, booking required at least two days in
advance, Saturdays and Sundays, 11.00 – 19.00. The cafeteria is open
every day at lunchtime, 13.00 - 14.30, and in the evening, Tuesdays to
Saturdays, 20.00 - 22.00 (booking required).
www.cittadellarte.it
B
uilt on the shores of the river Cervo and surrounded by
factory chimney stacks and traditional brick buildings, Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto combines the attraction of a
19th century industrial area with the most innovative trends in
contemporary art. The project, commissioned by Michelangelo Pistoletto, a famous artist from the town of Biella, began
in 1994 and was developed in the Trombetta woollen mill, a former manufacturing plant under the supervision of the Ministry
† Biella, Cittadellarte - of Cultural Heritage. The plant was converted into an expressive
Fondazione Pistoletto and creative workshop. The large, well-lit halls of the old factory
now house an experimental cultural centre that organises exhibitions, meetings, special events, temporary showrooms, workshops and multimedia labs. There are twelve operational units,
with each one dedicated to a specific issue or subject (art, education, ecology, economy, politics, spirituality, production, work,
communication, architecture, fashion and nutrition).
Cittadellarte hosts a permanent collection of works by Michelangelo Pistoletto.
A welcoming cafeteria offers creative and sustainable dishes,
served in a youthful, informal setting.
BIELLA
26
Cittadellarte and Palazzo Boglietti embody the allure of modern
and futuristic trends. La Strada della Lana (Wool Road), with
the Fabbrica della Ruota (Wheel Factory) and other evocative
testimonies of the past, offer visitors a unique journey through time.
Northern Piedmont
11
3
La Fabbrica della Ruota
Info: from June to September, open on Sundays, 15.00-18.00.
All year round, Mondays to Fridays, 9.00-13.00,
entry to the Textile Industry Documentation Centre
and guided tours for groups and schools (booking required).
There are specific opening times during temporary exhibition.
www.docbi.it
T
he former Zignone woollen mill, known as Fabbrica della
Ruota (Wheel Factory) is one of Italy’s most famous examples of industrial archaeology. Like almost all the other 19th century π Pray, night view
woollen mills in the area of Biella, Zignone, built in 1878, features
of the Wheel Factory
the same simple architecture of Manchester mills. However, it does
have one distinguishing feature: it is the only mill in Italy to still
have machinery driven by a “teledynamic” power supply system.
Two impressively large iron wheels outside the building, which give
the structure its name, are connected together by a cable measuring over 80 metres in length. When the wheels turned, movement was transmitted via pulleys directly to the machinery inside
through a horizontal shaft that crossed the building longitudinally.
Today this building is part of the Biella Ecomuseum. The Textile
Industry Documentation Centre, an archive housing a number of
collections and a specialised library, is situated in this building.
Inside, attractive halls host a permanent exhibition on the industrialisation of Biella, as well as a number of temporary exhibitions.
© Dario Lanzardo
Pray (BI) - Regione Vallefredda, 1 - Ph. +39 015 766221 (main office);
+39 015 7388393 +39 015 766221 (DocBi - Centro Studi Biellesi)
The Wool Road
DocBi - Centro Studi Biellesi - Ph. +39 015 7388393 / +39 015 766221
www.docbi.it
† Sagliano Micca,
Cervo Hat Factory
© ATL Biella
T
he skyline of the so-called Wool Road is dotted with 19th
century brick woollen mills, tall chimney stacks, power stations, offtake canals, penstocks, residential areas devoted to factory workers, contractors’ houses, public buildings such as kindergartens, schools, hospitals, workers’ recreational clubs and “work
roads” used by the factory workers to reach their place of work.
The Wool Road, which starts in Biella and ends in Borgosesia,
once the site of a wool market, winds through the valleys that are
the symbol of Biella’s textile industry, passing through the small
manufacturing towns in the Strona Valley and Valsassera, such as
Pettinengo, Camandona, Valle Mosso, Trivero and Pray.
27
© Fabrizio Lava - ATL Biella
Two among the many historical industrial sites located near currently
active production plants, naturally in very different building styles and
working conditions, deserve special attention. One is the Fabbrica della
Ruota in Pray and the second is the workers’ village in Miagliano, the
† Pray, La Fabbrica della Ruota most significant example of social housing in the province of Biella.
Palazzo Boglietti
Biella - via Fratelli Rosselli, 102 - Ph. +39 015 8493960
Info: open during temporary exhibitions.
www.palazzoboglietti.org
© ATL Biella
P
alazzo Boglietti is a futuristic venue designed for exhibitions
and events. It was built for Giovanni Boglietti, the owner of
† Biella, Palazzo Boglietti the land on which it stands, who wished to pay homage to the
history of his family in an area of great sentimental value for him.
Construction began in the 1990s and was supervised by the architect Alberto Rizzi. The building, which was opened to the public in 2006, represents an oak tree with disc-shaped mushrooms
growing on its trunk. Its 1,500 square metre surface is divided
into three floors above ground and one below, and features a
rooftop terrace with breath-taking views of the mountains surrounding Biella. The internal staircase - an upside-down, askew
triangular pyramid - is a unique architectural feature.
Palazzo Boglietti, in the south western part of the town, regularly
hosts international art and science-related initiatives.
EVENTS
Art at the heart of a Responsible Social Transformation
Town/Venue: Biella - Cittadellarte, via Serralunga, 27
Time of year: giugno-novembre
International season of exhibitions, events, meetings
and conferences addressing different aspects of the
relationship between art and society. For the occa28
sion, young artists are called upon to develop projects
aimed at achieving a responsible social transformation.
The initiative is part of the UNIDEE programme.
Info: +39 015 28400; store@cittadellarte.it
www.cittadellarte.it
REGIONAL TOURIST ORGANISATION
Regione Piemonte - Assessorato al Turismo
Via A. Avogadro, 30 – 10121 Torino – promozione.turistica@regione.piemonte.it
web: www.piemonteitalia.eu
Regione Piemonte-Piemonteitalia.eu
@piemonte_italia
ATL Agenzie Turistiche Locali [Local Tourism Agencies]
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale di Alessandria&Monferrato “ALEXALA”
Piazza Santa Maria di Castello, 14 - 15121 Alessandria
Ph. +39 0131 288095 - web: www.alexala.it
ALEXALA Tourist Board Alessandria & Monferrato
ALEXALA
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale di Asti “Astiturismo”
Piazza Alfieri, 34 - 14100 Asti
Ph. +39 0141 530357 - web: www.astiturismo.it
Astiturismo A.T.L.
@AstiturismoAtl
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale di Biella
Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 3 - 13900 Biella
Ph. +39 015 351128 - web: www.atl.biella.it
Numero Verde 800 811 800 (Italy)
biellaturismo
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale del Cuneese
Via Vittorio Amedeo II, 8 A - 12100 Cuneo
Ph. +39 0171 690217
web:www.cuneoholiday.com
www.cuneoutdoor.it
www.festivalestivo.com
ATL Cuneese
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale delle Langhe e del Roero
Piazza Risorgimento, 2 - 12051 Alba (CN)
Ph. +39 0173 35833 - web: www.langheroero.it
TuLangheRoero
@Tu.LangheRoero
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale della Provincia di Novara
Baluardo Quintino Sella, 40 - 28100 Novara
Ph. +39 0321 394059 - web: www.turismonovara.it
Agenzia Turistica Locale Novarese
@ATLNovara
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale “Turismo Torino e Provincia”
Torino Piazza Castello/Via Garibaldi
Stazione ferroviaria di Torino Porta Nuova
Aeroporto Internazionale di Torino
Ph. +39 011 535181
Pinerolo Viale Giolitti, 7/9
Ph. +39 0121 795589
Ivrea Corso Vercelli, 1
Ph. +39 0125 618131
web: www.turismotorino.org
turismotorino
turismotorino
turismotorino
photos/turismotorino
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale “Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Monti e Valli”
Corso Italia, 18 - 28838 Stresa (VB)
Ph. +39 0323 30416 - web: www.distrettolaghi.it
Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Monti e Valli
Lago Maggiore Valli @laghiemonti
Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica
Locale “Turismo Valsesia Vercelli”
Varallo Corso Roma, 38 - 13019 Varallo (VC)
Ph. +39 0163 564404
Vercelli Viale Garibaldi, 90 - 13100 Vercelli
Ph. +39 0161 58002
web: www.atlvalsesiavercelli.it
Published by Iniziative Speciali, De Agostini Libri S.p.A.
CEO: Paolo Andreoni - Novara, Corso della Vittoria 91
ph. 0321 424831 - fax: 0321 424940 - e-mail: iniziative.speciali@deagostini.it - internet: www.deagostini.it
Layout and editing: studio27snc.it
L.135/2001 “Valorisation and promotion of tourism linked to modern culture” inter-regional project
www.architetturadelmoderno.it
PIEMONTEP
GETTING THERE
Motorways
1
www.autostrade.it
ph. 840042121
A21 Torino/Alessandria/Piacenza
A5 Torino/Ivrea/Aosta
A4 Torino/Milano
A6 Torino/Savona
A55 Torino/Pinerolo
A33 Asti/Cuneo
A26 Santhià/Voltri/Genova
A32 Torino/Bardonecchia/Frejus
T4 Traforo del Frejus / Frejus Tunnel
www.tunneldufrejus.com
Verbania
•
Malpensa
Aosta
$ Airports
Torino Caselle
www.aeroportoditorino.it
ph. +39 011 5676361-2
Cuneo Levaldigi
www.aeroporto.cuneo.it
ph. +39 0172 741500-558
Milano Malpensa
www.seamilano.eu
ph. +39 02 232323
Malpensa-Torino:137 km
Î Trenitalia
www.trenitalia.com
ph. +39 06 68475475
ph. 89 20 21 (Italy)
•Biella
Caselle
Milano
Vercelli
•
A5
Modane
$
A4
$
A32
T4
A55
•
•
Novara
A26
Piacenza
TORINO
A21
Asti
Pinerolo
A6
•
•Alessandria
A33
Genova
Levaldigi
•
Cuneo
Voltri
$
A33
Savona

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