The most significant contemporary art fair in Italy is to open its doors to collectors this week in Turin. This year’s edition of Artissima will also introduce some new projects, perhaps one of the most exciting being In Mostra, a special exhibition which will focus on showcasing the works from Piedmont’s private and institutional collections. To discover the importance of this new endeavor we shared a talk with In Mostra curator Stefano Collicelli Cagol, the man responsible for the selection of the works and the concept behind the exhibition.
Stefano Collicelli Cagol is currently Curator at Large at the Trondheim Kunstmuseum in Trondheim, Norway. Over the years he has collaborated with various Italian institutions, museums galleries and foundations, some of them being Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin, GAM – Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Turin and Museo Marino Marini in Florence. Last year he also completed a PhD in Curating Contemporary Art at the Royal College of Art, London and he was one of the tutors and coordinators of the first edition of CAMPO – Corso per Curatori, in which he taught History of Exhibitions and Curatorial Practice.
In Mostra section was reinvented under Stefano Collicelli Cagol’s supervision and turned into a spectacular independent exhibition entitled Inclinazioni, revolving around the idea of inclination. Where did this idea originate from, what were the main selection criteria and what other interesting events and programs will 2015 edition of Artissima bring? Stefano Collicelli Cagol kindly agreed to answer our questions, so scroll down and read our interview with In Mostra curator…
Collaboration with Artissima
Widewalls: Over the years, you have collaborated with various institutions, from private foundations to museums. Is this the first time you are curating an exhibition within the scope of an art fair and what does it mean for you professionally to be the part of Artissima?
Stefano Collicelli Cagol: As you said, this is my first time in which I am involved in the programme of an art fair or within the commercial sector, since so far I have been working always for foundations or museums. I am very happy that my collaboration with such a different context is happening at Artissima and within a project of the scope of In Mostra, where I have been invited to select a series of works and materials, not for selling and belonging to a range of different institutions and not-for-profit associations involved in the production, education to and distribution of contemporary art. Artissima is a great international platform, with a strong research in each of its sections thanks to the contribution of many distinguished colleagues, so I am glad of being part of this collective dialogue.
Anika D.
