Italian dealer Massimo de Carlo, who opened his gallery in Milan in 1987 and now has branches in London, Hong Kong and Paris, is to open a private foundation in Piedmont, north-west Italy.
During the signing of a memorandum with officials from the province of Asti on July 12, De Carlo said that the new company “not only allows the realization of a new pole of contemporary art, but also opens up new institutional and cultural perspectives for the gallery”.
The aim, adds De Carlo, is “to bring the most intriguing voices of the international contemporary art scene to the territory in a remarkable landscape context complemented by an architectonic approach that exudes great respect despite its monumentality”.
According to the press release, the planned complex will be the “first private center dedicated to contemporary art” in the province and should be built “in the years to come”. Alongside a program of exhibitions, De Carlo will offer artist residencies for international practitioners, including those not represented by the gallery. In more than 35 years, De Carlo has expanded his list to represent more than 60 artists such as Carsten Höller, Steven Parrino, Maurizio Cattelan and Danh Võ.
Mayor of Asti, Maurizio Rasero, said in a statement: “We wholeheartedly support a project that aims to enrich our cultural heritage, serving as a collector of carefully selected contemporary art objects of exceptional quality. Asti and its province deserve an international platform, and initiatives like these are decisive steps in the right direction.”
Swiss architect Valerio Olgiati has been commissioned to design the foundation’s main building, while De Carlo’s team is to launch a competition for young Italian architects to develop the site’s service buildings.
