From November 14, 2026, to January 10, 2027, the Ragghianti Foundation - ETS and the Lucca Arts Center Foundation - ETS present *Lo spazio esteso*. Art Trajectories in the 1980s, an exhibition curated by Paolo Bolpagni and Francesca Pola that offers an original reinterpretation of European art from the 1980s. The exhibition spans the galleries of the Ragghianti Foundation and several venues in Lucca’s historic center, offering a journey that invites visitors to rediscover one of the richest and most complex decades in contemporary art. The project aims to highlight abstract, aniconic, and non-figurative approaches, showcasing an innovative artistic period that has yet to be fully explored by critics.
The exhibition brings together some of the most important figures of the European artistic renewal, belonging to different generations but united by a desire to transcend the traditional boundaries of painting. Their works explore the relationship between gesture, material, and space, often transforming the surface of the canvas into an element capable of engaging with its surroundings and extending beyond the frame’s limits.
Among the featured artists are Carla Accardi, Enrico Castellani, Piero Dorazio, Mario Nigro, Achille Perilli, Pino Pinelli, Ettore Spalletti, Gianni Colombo, Dadamaino, Alan Charlton, François Morellet, Fred Sandback, Felice Varini, David Tremlett, Niele Toroni, Wolfgang Laib, Michel Verjux, and numerous other leading figures in the European art scene. Although they employ different artistic languages and approaches, all the selected artists share a common pursuit aimed at redefining the very concept of the work of art. The image becomes body, matter, and creative process, while space takes on an active role, interacting with the architecture and the viewer’s gaze.
Alongside the main exhibition housed in the spaces of the Ragghianti Foundation, the exhibition extends into the urban fabric of Lucca with a series of site-specific installations and interventions. Among the venues involved are the Cloister of Santa Caterina at the Real Collegio, the Church of Sant’Alessandro, the outdoor areas of the first cloister of the San Micheletto Monumental Complex, and other significant locations in the historic center.
This decentralized section also marks the first exhibition project of the Fondazione Centro delle Arti Lucca, the organization that will manage the future museum and exhibition complex slated to be built in Piazzale Verdi, representing an important step in the city’s cultural development. The exhibition ideally follows in the footsteps of the research conducted by Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti, art historian and founder—along with Licia Collobi—of the foundation that bears his name. In particular, the project revisits and expands upon the reflections on abstract art that the scholar began in the 1960s, confirming their relevance today and their spirit of inquiry.
Accompanying the exhibition will be a scholarly catalog featuring essays by curators Paolo Bolpagni and Francesca Pola, enriched by contributions from Luca Massimo Barbero, Bruno Corà, and Lorenzo Madaro.
|
| An exhibition in Lucca explores the abstract and non-figurative trends in European art of the 1980s |
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.
IT
FR
DE
ES
CN