Artissima

Artissima
Name	Artissima
Genre	Contemporary art fair
Frequency	Annual
Location	Turin, Italy
First	1994
Organizer	Fondazione Torino Musei

Artissima is a major international contemporary art fair held annually in Turin, Italy. Founded in the mid-1990s, it became a focal point for curators, collectors, gallerists, and critics from across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The fair is closely associated with institutions such as the Museo Nazionale del Cinema, the MAO (Museum of Oriental Art), and the Palazzo Reale (Turin), and has influenced the programming of museums including the Centre Pompidou, the Museum of Modern Art (New York), and the Tate Modern.

History

Artissima originated in 1994 amid a European expansion of contemporary art fairs that included events like Art Basel, Frieze Art Fair, and FIAC. Early editions attracted galleries from Milan, Rome, and Moscow, while curators from the Guggenheim Museum, the Louvre, and the Stedelijk Museum began attending in the late 1990s. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s Artissima developed partnerships with biennials and festivals such as the Venice Biennale, the Documenta exhibition, and the Berlin Biennale, and it hosted presentations by artists represented by galleries like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and Pace Gallery. Directors and curators from the Serpentine Galleries, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Fondazione Prada have participated in panels and commissions. Institutional changes saw the involvement of the Fondazione Torino Musei and collaboration with the Turin City Council and the Piedmont Region to position the fair within the city’s cultural strategy.

Organization and Structure

The fair is organized by the Fondazione Torino Musei in collaboration with private partners such as Intesa Sanpaolo and sponsors from the luxury sector including Prada and Ferrari. Its programmatic structure comprises main sections curated to showcase primary galleries, curated projects, solo presentations, and emerging galleries. Curation has been led by figures associated with institutions like the Guggenheim Bilbao, the Kunsthalle Basel, and the Museo Reina Sofía, while advisory boards have included directors from the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Hammer Museum, and the Netherlands Film Festival. Operational roles involve exhibition managers with previous appointments at TEFAF, The Armory Show, and the Frieze Art Fair.

Artistic Program and Exhibitions

The artistic program combines presentations by established galleries, thematic projects, and curated sections focused on emergent practices. Collaborators have included curators from the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Gallery of Canada. Past exhibition formats have featured solo shows referencing artists associated with Marina Abramović, Anish Kapoor, Cindy Sherman, and Ai Weiwei through their galleries, alongside projects invoking the histories of movements represented at the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Tate Modern, and the Stedelijk Museum. Thematic commissions have been supported by patrons such as the Fondazione Merz, the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, and the Fondazione Adriano Olivetti.

Participating Galleries and Artists

Artissima typically hosts a roster of international galleries from cities like New York City, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Madrid, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, and Mexico City. Major participants have included Gagosian, Galerie Perrotin, White Cube, David Zwirner, Sprüth Magers, Southern, and Almine Rech. The fair has showcased artists represented by these galleries as well as emerging practitioners associated with residencies at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, the Rijksakademie, and the ISCP. Curated solo booths have highlighted names appearing in collections of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

Special Projects and Collateral Events

Collateral programming has involved partnerships with cultural producers including the Biennale di Venezia, the Torino Film Festival, and the Salone del Libro di Torino. Special projects have featured commissions by patrons such as the Compagnia di San Paolo and collaborations with local institutions like the Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea and the Palazzo Madama. Off-site events have included performances and screenings curated with the Teatro Regio (Turin), the MAXXI, and independent spaces such as ZKM and Serralves. Educational initiatives have been developed with the Politecnico di Torino and the Università degli Studi di Torino.

Impact and Reception

Critical reception from publications like Artforum, The Art Newspaper, Frieze, and ArtReview has highlighted Artissima’s role in promoting experimental galleries and emerging artists alongside established market players such as Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Museum curators from the National Gallery (London), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Fondation Cartier have cited acquisitions originated at the fair. Commentators from The Guardian, Le Monde, and Corriere della Sera have discussed the fair’s influence on Turin’s visibility comparable to cultural projects like the transformation initiated by Renzo Piano in other cities.

Attendance and Economic Influence

Attendance draws collectors, curators, and critics from institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Getty Museum, and the Broad. The economic impact extends to local hospitality and services, affecting operators like Turin Airport stakeholders and the Porta Nuova railway station area. Collaborations with trade partners including Intesa Sanpaolo and cultural tourism bodies have positioned the fair as a driver for hotel occupancy and restaurant patronage associated with venues like the Lingotto Fiere complex and nearby heritage sites such as the Mole Antonelliana.

Category:Contemporary art fairs in Europe