30-04-2025
Venice is getting two brand-new art centres in May – here's where to find them
Milan's Brera Modern finally opened its doors at the end of 2024 (after over 50 years in the making), but it's far from the only Italian city to be graced with a stunning new arts space. In fact, Venice has been graced with two.
The Floating City already has a long list of impressive museums and galleries – the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Venice Glass Museum, to name a few – and joining that collection is San Marco Art Centre and the Nicoleeta Fiorucci Foundation.
San Marco Art Centre will be perched on the second floor of the Procuratie in St Mark's Square. The space will have a broad focus on everything from art and fashion to architecture, film and technology.
Inside, there will be 16 galleries, all recently restored by esteemed British architect David Chipperfield. Two inaugural shows will coincide with the Venice Architecture Biennale (which runs from May 10-November 23), on Harry Seidler, an Australian architect, and Jung Youngsun, a Korean landscape designer.
Founders David Hrankovik, Anna Bursaud and David Gramazio describe themselves as 'a spontaneous and experimental organisation, testing traditional models of arts and institutions and exhibition making,' according to The Art Newspaper.
Sounds pretty swish, right? The San Marco Art Centre will open its doors on May 9, and the inaugural exhibitions are on from then until July 13 – there's more information on the SMAC website here.
Next up is the Nicoleeta Fiorucci Foundation, a London-based non-profit organisation founded in 2021 and named after the renowned Italian-born arts patron.
It's taken over a historic building in Venice's Dorsoduro district, which used to be owned by famous painter Ettore Tito back in the '20s, and launches on May 7 with a site-specific installation by Tolia Astakhishivili, a Georgian artist.
This will run until November 23, and also features work by Thea Djordjadze and Zurab Astakhishvili. The foundation aims to fund the renovation and operational costs of the building – there's more information on it here.
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