"The Treasures of Italy" Exhibition for Agrigento Capital of Culture

Exhibition Details

Opening Ceremony: Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 3:30 PM
Open to the Public: Starting January 19, 2025
Curators: Pierluigi Carofano and Anna Ciccarelli
Works on Display: 25 masterpieces, including paintings and one sculpture by 22 artists, representing Italy’s 20 regions
Location: Villa Aurea, Valley of the Temples Archaeological Park, Agrigento

The exhibition encapsulates the artistic evolution of 20th-century Italy, including influences from the late 19th century. It showcases works by masters such as Giorgio De Chirico and Lucio Fontana and celebrates the major artistic movements of Italy. The event was made possible thanks to exceptional loans from national banking and cultural foundations.

Cultural Significance

This event marks the beginning of a series of initiatives that will engage Agrigento throughout 2025, highlighting the city’s role as Italy’s cultural epicenter and showcasing the richness of the nation’s artistic heritage. The exhibition “Italy’s Treasures – The ’20th Century of the Foundations” is not just a celebration of art but also a journey through Italy’s cultural and social history, narrated through rare and lesser-known works. This artistic journey aims to provide a comprehensive view of the country’s cultural roots and evolution, ideally uniting all Italian regions in a single, grand narrative.

The Exhibition’s Artistic Journey

The artistic journey unfolds through various movements and styles that have shaped Italian art history:

Naturalism and Verismo: Francesco Michetti (Abruzzo), Antonio Mancini (Lazio), Vincenzo Gemito (Campania), Giuseppe De Nittis (Puglia).
Divisionism: Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo (Piedmont), Angelo Barabino (Liguria), Umberto Boccioni (Calabria).
Second Futurism: Fortunato Depero (Trentino), Ivo Pannaggi (Marche).
Metaphysical Art: Giorgio Morandi (Emilia), Giorgio De Chirico (Italy), Mario Sironi (Sardinia), Filippo de Pisis (Romagna).
Neorealism: Renato Guttuso (Sicily).
Cubism: Gino Severini (Tuscany).
Informal Art: Emilio Vedova (Veneto), Afro Basaldella (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Alberto Burri (Umbria).
Spatialism: Lucio Fontana (Lombardy).
New Dada: Gino Marotta (Molise), Francesco Nex (Aosta Valley).
Abstract Art: Carla Accardi (Basilicata), with an unpublished work.

A Collective Story

This exhibition offers a narrative that is not exhaustive but representative of Italy’s immense cultural heritage, highlighting often-overlooked yet highly symbolic works. Each artist and artwork represent a piece of the mosaic that tells the story of the country’s diversity and cultural richness.

Organization and Sponsorships

The project was promoted by the Valley of the Temples Archaeological Park in Agrigento and the Progetto Museo Consortium, curated by Beatrice Buscaroli, Daniela Alejandra Sbaraglia, and Alessandro Tosi. The exhibition is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Sicilian Region – Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity, and the City of Agrigento. This initiative underscores how Agrigento, the Italian Capital of Culture 2025, is not limited to representing Sicily but becomes a meeting point for all of Italy, narrating the nation’s entire artistic and cultural heritage.