Turin is preparing to welcome a new edition of Luci d’Artista, the 28th, which will kick off on Oct. 24, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. and continue until Jan. 11, 2026. The city’s streets, squares and buildings will once again be transformed into an open-air museum, where light installations designed by internationally renowned artists will dialogue with urban architecture.
This edition introduces four new works, the result of international collaborations and a path of growth that has redefined the physiognomy of the event in recent years. They are signed by Tracey Emin, a leading figure in British contemporary art; Italian Riccardo Previdi; Lithuanian Gintaras Didžiapetris; and Soundwalk Collective, which for the occasion has involved Patti Smith and Philip Glass in a special project designed for the spaces of OGR Torino.
The event is produced by the Fondazione Torino Musei on behalf of the City of Turin, and is an integral part of its Strategic Plan alongside GAM, MAO, Palazzo Madama and Artissima. The goal, reaffirmed again this year, is to consolidate Luci d’Artista as a permanent institution of artistic research, no longer only linked to the winter season but distributed throughout the year. In this regard, curator Antonio Grulli has continued on the path of expanding the format, which is divided into several sections: the historical collection, the restoration program, the international collaborations gathered under the title DUET, the national and European network Constellation and the public program Academy of Light. The visual identity of the 2025-2026 edition is curated for the third year by Studio Fludd, which has chosen a light glitch as its graphic signature, to evoke potential energy and movement.
Among the most eagerly awaited novelties is the entry into the Turin collection of a neon work by Tracey Emin, an artist who has been able to narrate personal experiences and intimate reflections with different languages, becoming a reference in contemporary feminist discourse. The work was donated to the city by the CRT Foundation for Modern and Contemporary Art on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. Alongside her, Riccardo Previdi will present a work conceived through a collaboration with the Nitto ATP Finals, a sporting event that has brought end-of-season world tennis to Turin since 2021. Previdi, whose research investigates the relationship between technology and the collective imagination, has conceived a work that combines contemporary art and sport in a luminous sign.
Instead, from Lithuania comes Gintaras Didžiapetris, supported by the Lithuanian Culture Institute in the context of the year of Lithuanian culture in Italy. His practice, which crosses different media and weaves conceptual rigor and poetic intuition, will result in a neon work capable of dialoguing with Turin’s urban space. Finally, the OGR’s monumental courtyard will host a special project by Soundwalk Collective. The group, founded by Stephan Crasneanscki and Simone Merli, has been working for years on the border between sound, cinema and visual arts, and has woven collaborations with figures such as Jean-Luc Godard, Nan Goldin and Jim Jarmusch. For Turin, he involved Patti Smith and Philip Glass, resulting in a work in which music and poetry meet.
The 28th edition also inaugurates the DUET section, designed to gather and develop international collaborations. In addition to the Lithuanian Culture Institute, the MAC Musée d’Art Contemporain in Lyon is involved, which also joins the Constellation network. The latter, already active at the city level, expands for the first time beyond Turin’s borders, including institutions such as Triennale Milano and strengthening ties with major museums in the area: GAM, Castello di Rivoli and Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. Accademia della Luce, a section dedicated to the public program, consolidates its proposal with activities that continue throughout the year. The appointments dedicated to the great masters of Luci d’Artista and the Summer Solstice event are confirmed, both with new content and ways of involvement.
Work also continues on the restoration and technological upgrade of the historical collection. Thanks to the support of the Iren Group, the Council for the Enhancement of the Artistic and Cultural Heritage of Turin, the Industrial Union and NeonLauro, it will be possible to make the works more sustainable and improve the enjoyment of some masterpieces, including Joseph Kosuth’s Doppio Passaggio (Turin), placed since 2001 on the Vittorio Emanuele I Bridge.
Born in 1998, Luci d’Artista has become over the years a model of public and participatory art, capable of attracting a wide audience and inspiring other Italian and European cities. With the passing of the editions, the light installations have helped define the image of Turin as a city of the contemporary, strengthening the link between historical heritage and artistic research. The event is supported by the City of Turin with contributions from Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRT, OGR Torino, Consulta, Unione Industriali, Nitto ATP Finals, Lithuanian Culture Institute and NeonLauro. The main sponsor is Gruppo Iren. Among future prospects, another news item concerns The Radiant Van by the Italian collective Canemorto, winner of the 14th Italian Council. The work, conceived as a light installation and means of transportation, will debut in 2026 in Ljubljana, then return to Turin from the 29th edition of Luci d’Artista.
|
|
| Four new stars for the 28th edition of Luci d'Artista in Turin |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
