Artissima's 32nd Edition Brings Global Contemporary Art to Turin, Embracing Regional Identity
For the fourth year under director Luigi Fassi, Artissima, a premier international art fair in Italy, has returned with 176 participating galleries from around the world. The fair, set against the backdrop of Turin's industrial district, marked a significant moment for Italian contemporary art, having been instrumental in shaping the city's cultural landscape since its inception in 1986.
Fassi, who describes himself as "100 percent a curator," is known for his vision to strengthen Artissima's curatorial identity. With over 50 curators contributing to this year's edition, Fassi aimed to highlight the diversity of participating galleries and artists. The result was an eclectic mix of works, ranging from paintings to sculptures and installations.
While Italian sensibilities run deep through the fair's context, it is notable that more than 60% of the participating galleries are international. Fassi attributes this to Artissima's unique ownership structure as a publicly funded institution, which allows it to prioritize artistic innovation over commercial gain.
One of the highlights of the fair was the New Entries section, showcasing emerging international galleries with less than five years of activity. PILEVNELİ, founded by Murat Pilevneli in 2017, presented its first work at Artissima, featuring Bora Akıncıtürk's thought-provoking pieces that critique late-stage capitalism and the market.
Other notable galleries included Biasutti & Biasutti, representing Turin's art scene, which showcased an Arte Povera movement-inspired project. Thomas Dane Gallery, with a presence in Naples and Frieze and Art Basel, also participated, featuring works by Paul Pfeiffer that highlighted religion and pop media.
As for collectors, fair director Luigi Fassi emphasized the importance of inclusivity, aiming to cater to the middle-class collector demographic. He noted that collecting art in Italy has traditionally been a middle-class phenomenon, with a strong focus on regional identity.
While Artissima functions as both a market platform and an artistic interpretation, its director believes that the fair should always prioritize artist-curator-institution connections over commercial interests. With this year's edition, Artissima continues to uphold its reputation as a premier international art fair in Turin, solidifying its position at the forefront of contemporary art discourse.
In conclusion, Artissima's 32nd Edition has once again showcased an incredible array of artistic talent and innovative ideas from around the world. By embracing regional identity and prioritizing artist-curator relationships, the fair continues to set a high standard for the global art community.
For the fourth year under director Luigi Fassi, Artissima, a premier international art fair in Italy, has returned with 176 participating galleries from around the world. The fair, set against the backdrop of Turin's industrial district, marked a significant moment for Italian contemporary art, having been instrumental in shaping the city's cultural landscape since its inception in 1986.
Fassi, who describes himself as "100 percent a curator," is known for his vision to strengthen Artissima's curatorial identity. With over 50 curators contributing to this year's edition, Fassi aimed to highlight the diversity of participating galleries and artists. The result was an eclectic mix of works, ranging from paintings to sculptures and installations.
While Italian sensibilities run deep through the fair's context, it is notable that more than 60% of the participating galleries are international. Fassi attributes this to Artissima's unique ownership structure as a publicly funded institution, which allows it to prioritize artistic innovation over commercial gain.
One of the highlights of the fair was the New Entries section, showcasing emerging international galleries with less than five years of activity. PILEVNELİ, founded by Murat Pilevneli in 2017, presented its first work at Artissima, featuring Bora Akıncıtürk's thought-provoking pieces that critique late-stage capitalism and the market.
Other notable galleries included Biasutti & Biasutti, representing Turin's art scene, which showcased an Arte Povera movement-inspired project. Thomas Dane Gallery, with a presence in Naples and Frieze and Art Basel, also participated, featuring works by Paul Pfeiffer that highlighted religion and pop media.
As for collectors, fair director Luigi Fassi emphasized the importance of inclusivity, aiming to cater to the middle-class collector demographic. He noted that collecting art in Italy has traditionally been a middle-class phenomenon, with a strong focus on regional identity.
While Artissima functions as both a market platform and an artistic interpretation, its director believes that the fair should always prioritize artist-curator-institution connections over commercial interests. With this year's edition, Artissima continues to uphold its reputation as a premier international art fair in Turin, solidifying its position at the forefront of contemporary art discourse.
In conclusion, Artissima's 32nd Edition has once again showcased an incredible array of artistic talent and innovative ideas from around the world. By embracing regional identity and prioritizing artist-curator relationships, the fair continues to set a high standard for the global art community.
it's like they found a way to make industrial places cool again... and its not just about italian art anymore 60% of galleries are from other countries so that's pretty cool 
It's amazing how Turin has become such a hub for contemporary art, and it's not just about Italian artists anymore, there's so much diversity on show. I love how they're prioritizing artist-curator relationships over commercial interests too, it's all about showcasing the best of what's new and innovative in the art world.
But what I think is really cool is that Artissima is making an effort to cater to middle-class collectors, so everyone can get in on the action.
Let's hope that's something they'll consider for future editions! Overall, though, Artissima is still the go-to event for anyone who loves contemporary art, and I'm so grateful to have it right on my doorstep.
But what I want to know is how does it balance being international with still showcasing regional identity? Like, do they have Italian artists and galleries too? And what's up with the New Entries section - are these galleries just starting out or is there something special about them? 
. I mean, who needs all that industrial space in Turin? It's not like it's contributing much to the local economy besides making collectors richer. And don't even get me started on Luigi Fassi and his "100 percent curator" act - sounds like a bunch of pretentious nonsense to me 
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. i think its also great that they're trying to make the fair more inclusive for collectors, not just the super rich ones 
. Italy's got its own unique vibe going on, but it's awesome to see them embracing diversity and innovation. Fassi's vision for a curator-driven fair is really paying off - the result is an eclectic showcase that'll keep you guessing all day long 
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. Fassi is totally on point with his vision and inclusivity goals, making art more accessible to the middle-class collector crowd 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how Artissima continues to grow and set that high standard for global art discourse 
. And it's awesome to see collectors getting included in the mix - inclusivity is key to creating a more vibrant art community 
. But what I'd love to see even more of is representation from underrepresented communities and regions around the world 
. Artissima, keep pushing the boundaries and showing the world what's up! 
. It's all about who you know and what's popular. The fact that most of the art is just 'critiquing late-stage capitalism' sounds super original 
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. How about catering to actual people who actually care about the environment and social justice for once? Just saying 
i mean, it's not like they're just trying to make the whole city look cool or anything... 176 galleries from around the world? that's cute, but let's be real, most of them are probably just here for the free food and drinks 
. Artissima's curatorial identity is all about highlighting diversity, but honestly, it feels like they're just throwing a bunch of cool stuff together without much thought or consideration... PILEVNELİ sounds like a great name btw, very Turkish 
. it's like, art isn't just about making a quick buck or going viral, it's about tapping into something deeper and more meaningful. and that's what Artissima is all about - creating a space for artists to express themselves authentically, without the pressure of commercialism getting in the way 
. so yeah, I think this whole thing is super inspiring, and it makes me wanna keep pushing myself to stay true to my own creative vision 
and i also loved biasutti & biasutti's project it was so unique 
but what really stood out to me was how inclusive the whole fair felt like luigi fassi made a point of saying that collecting art shouldn't be just for rich people which is something we can all get behind 
. And it's awesome that the fair is inclusive for middle-class collectors 
, making art more accessible.
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. The way they're mixing up local Italian sensibilities with international flair is just spot on