The Museion Collection Arrives in Lugano
Opening of the exhibition Livres de peintre e libri oggetto Collection of the “Archivio di Nuova Scrittura” and the Cantonal Library
From March 13 to May 10, 2025, the Cantonal Library of Lugano will host the exhibition “Livres de peintre and book objects”, a showcase dedicated to the relationship between art and books. The exhibition features works from the collections of Mart in Rovereto and the Cantonal Library of Lugano, enriched by a selection from the Archivio di Nuova Scrittura of Museion.
The project stems from the long-standing collaboration between Museion and Mart for the conservation and promotion of the Archivio di Nuova Scrittura Collection by Paolo Della Grazia. The exhibition develops through a path that brings artworks into dialogue with artist books, offering an overview of the two main approaches to the relationship between art and publishing: on one hand, the “livre de peintre” represents the tradition of fine illustration, the result of collaboration between text authors and artists; on the other hand, the artist book stands as an autonomous work, entirely created by a single author who oversees every aspect, from conception to format.
The exhibition presents a selection of significant works from the Archivio di Nuova Scrittura, founded by Paolo Della Grazia in 1988 and now divided between Mart (library and archives) and Museion (artworks). The display brings together materials from the three institutions, documenting the variety of artistic experimentation that has characterized avant-garde publishing production. Among the artists featured in the exhibition are notable names such as Balestrini, Isgrò, Agnetti, Patella, Carrega, and Pavanello.
The exhibition unfolds through a series of display cases where artist books interact with visual works mounted on the walls, creating a dialogue between writing, image, and form. The works from Museion particularly reflect on language and words, emphasizing their presence, absence, or enigmatic nature.
Livres de peintre e libri oggetto
13.03.–10.05.2025
Curated by Elena Bini (Museion), Duccio Dogheria (Mart), Mariarosa Mariech (Mart), Luca Saltini (Cantonal Library of Lugano)
Opening: 13.03.2025, 18:00
Lugano, Cantonal Library of Lugano
Viale Carlo Cattaneo 6
