Giancarlo Sangregorio Foundation opens a new space in Sesto Calende (Varese, Italy), unveiling its collection

On May 16, at 11:30 a.m., Spazio Luce, the new exhibition space of the Giancarlo Sangregorio Foundation in Sesto Calende (Varese), at the southern end of Lake Maggiore, will be inaugurated. The project stems from the renovation of an old rural building, made possible through a call for bids sponsored by Fondazione Cariplo, with the intention of expanding the Foundation’s cultural offerings. It is a dynamic environment designed to host temporary exhibitions, meetings, moments of interdisciplinary discussion and initiatives dedicated to young artists. Located in the greenery of the Ticino Park, Spazio Luce represents a further development in the path of enhancing the artistic legacy of sculptor Giancarlo Sangregorio (1925-2013).

The opening will be accompanied by the exhibition Incontri. From Fontana to Baj, Rotella to Mondino. A collection unveiled, which can be visited from May 16 to Nov. 29, 2026. Curated by Lorella Giudici, with the contribution of Martina Cortese, and realized under the patronage of the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Sesto Calende, as well as the support of Fondazione Cariplo and the support of FNM Group and Enel, the exhibition will present thirty-four works from Sangregorio’s collection. The itinerary aims to place in dialogue some of the most significant figures in Italian art of the second half of the 20th century, including Lucio Fontana, Enrico Baj, Mimmo Rotella and Aldo Mondino.

Many of these artists shared exhibition experiences with Sangregorio in important group shows, occasions that often marked their first meeting (among others, Mimmo Rotella, Concetto Pozzati, Hsiao Chin, Emilio Scanavino, Aldo Mondino, Valentino Vago, Gianni Dova, Martin Schulz Kirchner, Tino Stefanoni, Enzo Esposito). With some, however, deeper and more lasting relationships were established, as in the case of Maria Luisa de Romans, his first companion, or the group of artists closest to him, including Lucio Fontana, Enrico Baj, Silvio Monti, Kengiro Azuma and Vittore Frattini. Other encounters turned into true creative collaborations, particularly during stays in Albissola Marina, where his friend Sergio Dangelo (featured in the exhibition with the work Othello) had founded a cultural center, or through shared projects with Pietro Pirelli, such as the concert of stones. Alongside these works, space is also found for works chosen for their affective value, such as the bronze sculpture Il vento by Arturo Martini or the lithograph Donne con la collana (1951) by Massimo Campigli.

The diverse and partly unpublished collection spans more than five decades of the 20th century and restores Sangregorio’s universe through the eyes and memories of artists who knew and frequented him. Also available is an online catalog, published by FSG, with texts by Lorella Giudici and photographs by Alessio Tamborini. Godmother of the opening will be scientist Amalia Ercoli Finzi.

At the same time, from May 16 to July 26, 2026, Spazio Atelier will host Scrigni di luce, a solo exhibition by Paola Ravasio (Varese, 1978), first winner of the Sangregorio Prize, who returns to exhibit at the Foundation after twelve years with a selection of recent works. Her sculptures take shape from aggregates of white matter, such as plaster or resin, to become, as Sangregorio himself emphasized, one with light: not a light that rests on matter, but a “matter-light.” Authentic metaphysical caskets are born from this. The ground floor of the Atelier will also display six works belonging to the Foundation’s new acquisitions, donated by artists who have already exhibited in this space, including the sculpture of Alex Bombardieri, winner of the second edition of the Sangregorio Prize dedicated to young sculpture.

Finally, in September, the Atelier will offer an in-depth study dedicated to Sergio Floriani.

Spazio Luce’s new logo, designed by Stefano Barbato, visually synthesizes Giancarlo Sangregorio’s sculptural research, founded on the dialogue between matter and form.

“Giancarlo Sangregorio,” says Lorella Giudici, “has left us a collection of works (over one hundred) by artists of his time, each of which is a confirmation of esteem, the sign of a friendship, the testimony of an encounter, an exchange between colleagues from all over the world. A roundup of works that recounts the memories of a life, but also the world of art, particularly of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, with its plurality of languages, the affirmation of new styles and the narrative of a time that for some remains interior and for others instead needs to look at the symbolic and social.”

Hours: May 17 to Sept. 27, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Oct. 3 to Nov. 29, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For tours by appointment, write to info@fondazionesangregorio.it

Giancarlo Sangregorio Foundation opens a new space in Sesto Calende (Varese, Italy), unveiling its collection

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