Inside Volumnia gallery, design in a Renaissance church

Volumnia Gallery  is about inside the uncommon backdrop of the Church of Sant’Agostino in Piacenza, the headquarter of an energetic gallerist who determined to make use of it as exhibition house for her initiatives. Enrica De Micheli, with twenty years of expertise on the earth of antiques and analysis design, opened the venue in October 2018 after having gained a concession from town council, with the concept of mixing artwork, tradition, and social life.

 

Volumnia Gallery: from Renaissance Basilica to artwork vacation spot

(Picture credit score: Delfino Sisto Legnani)

‘Volumnia was born out of a ardour that stems from my work: I wished to seek out an uncommon house that might enable me to hold out my imaginative and prescient, free from patterns and restrictions,’ says De Michieli.

‘The undertaking is led by a need to offer again as a result of artwork is the heritage of all. The gallery offers me the possibility to specific my imaginative and prescient by artwork, furnishings, and objects that I really like, whereas permitting me to maintain my ardour of gathering alive. The long run vacation spot is to proceed this excellent journey.

(Picture credit score: Delfino Sisto Legnani)

‘The restoration works uncovered the unique Renaissance structure of the Basilica, with its immense areas, colonnades, plaster and frescos. The outside courtyard with the adjoining monastery’s carpentry workshop was additionally restored,’ she says.

The situation additionally consists of Restaurant IO, created in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Luigi Taglienti, as ‘an area that may be skilled in continuity with the aesthetic expertise of the gallery.’

(Picture credit score: Delfino Sisto Legnani)

The gallery’s programme has included exhibitions by artists similar to Giorgio Milani, Giuseppe Tirelli, Gianluigi Colin, Carlo Brandelli, Ewa Wilczynski, and rising expertise featured within the Ducato Prize, whereas in 2019, Volumnia devoted a serious exhibition to Gabriella Crespi, attracting important consideration each nationally and internationally.

The latest show at Volumnia incorporates a retrospective of Franco Albini’s work, additionally a possibility for De Michieli to launch a brand new publishing undertaking that may embody books on main up to date artists and trendy creatives. ‘Learning is crucial incentive in my job and it drives me on my imaginative and prescient and decisions for Volumnia day by day,’ she provides. ‘[The exhibition on] Franco Albini was born from the admiration for his work, and going deeper into the numerous elements of his determine has been very fascinating.’

(Picture credit score: Delfino Sisto Legnani)

De Michieli is planning subsequent 12 months’s shows to coincide with Milan Design Week 2024. ‘I’ve many desires, and I am undecided if I am going to have the ability to see all of them come true. One which I notably cherish is to make an exhibition for a good friend, [lighting designer and entrepreneur] Davide Groppi. Davide lives in Piacenza, my hometown and for my part, he’s a unprecedented abstract of ardour, dedication, dedication, and precision.’