Fondamenta
June 5–July 5, 2020
Artissima presents Fondamenta, a curated online project that will run from June 5–July 5, 2020. Conceived as part of the 2020 fair’s work in progress, Fondamenta considers the factors that are transforming our globalised art world. It is an invitation to experiment and respond creatively to the frenetic standstill in which we find ourselves in this challenging present.
Fondamenta—the Italian for “Foundations,” a nod to galleries as wholly fundamental to the existence of art fairs and the art market, will offer an insight into Artissima’s research process, exactly five months ahead of the 2020 edition of the fair in Turin (November 6–8, preview November 5).
Presented on artissima.art, a simple and intuitive interface, Fondamenta offers a virtual selection of approximately 200 art works, presented by Italian and international exhibitors from Artissima 2019. Each gallery will show works by one selected artist (priced up to 15,000 EUR and rotated if sold), which will be displayed in virtual versions of the five sections of the physical fair: Present Future, curated by Ilaria Gianni and Fernanda Brenner; Back to the Future, curated by Lorenzo Giusti and Mouna Mekouar; Disegni, curated by Letizia Ragaglia and Bettina Steinbrügge; New Entries, curated by Valerio Del Baglivo; and the Main Section, on this occasion selected by Artissima’s Director Ilaria Bonacossa.
Fondamenta is not a viewing-room, exhibition or a digital replacement for the fair, but rather a shared perspective on contemporary artistic practices, with a focus on experimental curation.
A collaborative project with galleries, and for galleries, Fondamenta is an opportunity for them to connect and exchange ideas with their peers and the public.
The aim is to create a platform that can present the most current artistic research and encourage a new generation of collectors and art lovers.
In Ilaria Bonacossa’s words:
Looking at art and discovering trends, or singular visions, is a passion I share with gallerists, who I admire for their ability to single out unknown talents. This project is all thanks to the research of Artissima’s amazing 2020 curatorial team, who present their work “in progress,” offering galleries the opportunity to generate dialogue in a difficult and complex moment for the contemporary art world. Fondamenta is a select and focused curated platform that can be viewed and experienced in people’s own time, supporting the discovery of the most current artistic developments, as well as facilitating our galleries’ relationship to new art lovers and collectors from different generations.
Visit Fondamenta on the website.
Project Main Partner: Art Defender
Section Partners: Tosetti Value - Il Family office (Main Section), illycaffè (Present Future), Irinox (Disegni), Professional Trust Company (New Entries), Fondazione Sardi per l’arte (Back to the Future)
About Artissima
Artissima is Italy’s leading contemporary art fair. Since its establishment in 1994, it has combined the presence of an international market with a focus on experimentation and research. Nearly two hundred galleries from around the world participate every year. In addition to the Main Section of the fair, Artissima is also composed of four curated sections, headed by a board of international curators and museum directors, devoted to emerging artists, drawing and rediscovering the great pioneers of contemporary art. It is curated by Artissima Srl, a company connected with the Fondazione Torino Musei.
