Inaugurated in the spaces of MAG | More than an Art Gallery, in Piazzetta Bussolin 17, in the center of Padua, the historical archive of the Francis Bacon Collection.
In addition to the historical, paper and digital archives of the Francis Bacon Collection, it will also contain a bibliographic section and an important group of works on paper by the great Irish master, already exhibited in important museums around the world.
During the inauguration, Serena Baccaglini, director of the scientific committee of the Francis Bacon Collection e Umberto Guerini, historical memory of the collection, will present the first volume of the catalog raisonné of the Francis Bacon Collection, published by Scripta Manent.
Edited by Edward Lucie Smith with texts by Fernando Castro, a historical friend of the artist, and Serena Baccaglini, the book will provide unique support for anyone who wants to delve into a creative period of twenty years, from 1977 to 1992, of the work on paper by Francis Bacon. For the occasion, it will be inaugurated a permanent exhibition of 20 drawings by the Irish artist.
“In the works on paper kept hidden from his merchants – says Serena Baccaglini -, but given as gifts to his friends, such as Paul Danquha, Stephen Spendr, Brian Hayhow, Cristiano Lovatelli Ravarino and others, there are crucifixions, popes, portraits and self-portraits: all subjects painted by Francis Bacon during his long life as an artist”. During the meeting, Claudio Furio Colombo, founder of the company Advisory Colombo&Partners, illustrated the investment fund dedicated to the enhancement of a nucleus of works from the Francis Bacon Collection. L'art fund in question aims to combine the fascinating world of art with the precious works of Bacon, at theexpertise more than a decade of the team in the field of alternative financial investments. Until March 31st, the prestigious space in Padua will also host an exhibition with a selection of 21 informal masterpieces, created between the XNUMXs and XNUMXs, by Italian masters such as Cagli, Munari, Varisco, Veronesi and many others, owned by the 'German entrepreneur Volker Feierabend – also present at the inauguration – founder of the VAF Foundation, one of the most important collections of XNUMXth century Italian art in the world.
“The exhibition that I thought up for the spaces of MAG – affirms Walter Volker Feirabend – represents a selection of the vast collection of Italian art of the “VAF Stiftung”, which I founded, which includes 2200 works exclusively by Italian artists. With works that continue to affirm their topicality, the exhibition highlights the evolution and affirmation of geometric abstraction in Italy, from the thirties to the seventies, passing from constructivism, from programmed, structural and kinetic art, up to avant-garde experiences of the "Group N" of Padua. The artists present in the exhibition will be: Getulio Alviani, Giancarlo Bargoni, Alberto Biasi and Rocco Borella, Corrado Cagli, Franco Costalonga, Lucia Di Luciano, Walter Fusi, Aldo Galli, Riccardo Guarneri, Francesco Guerrieri, Edoardo Landi, Elio Marchegiani, Enzo Mari, Umberto Mariani, Bruno Munari, Atanasio Soldati, Grazia Varisco, Luigi Veronesi, Giorgio Villa, Gianfranco Zappettini".
The cultural center of Padua, which in this period can only be used by appointment, will be a cultural meeting place for the study of paper and digital materials related to the two collections but also a point of reference for collectors and art operators. Some works from the MAG collection will also be on permanent display.
