Mario Schifano: Maison Valentino and Magazzino Italian Art Collaboration

MAISON VALENTINO COLLABORATES WITH MAGAZZINO ITALIAN ART, HOSTING AN EXHIBITION OF MARIO SCHIFANO IN THE NEW MADISON AVENUE FLAGSHIP STORE

On the occasion of the new Valentino Madison Avenue Flagship store opening, the Maison will showcase an exclusive exhibition of the Italian painter Mario Schifano in the spaces of the boutique organized by Magazzino Italian Art. The exhibition serves as a tribute to contemporary Italian painting, marking yet another meaningful step in Valentino’s dialogue with the arts.

Valentino collaborates with Magazzino Italian Art for a series of exhibitions featuring works by renowned Italian artists. Alongside engaging talks will be hosted in the new Valentino store in the upcoming months. This initiative is designed to celebrate the rich tapestry of Italian excellence in art and fashion while underscoring the profound significance of cross-cultural dialogue. Art and fashion are not isolated domains but interconnected facets of cultural expression.

Featuring five stunning, large-scale paintings by Mario Schifano, the presentation exemplifies the seamless union of two companies deeply committed to cultivating a dynamic synergy between the art world and fashion. Much like Schifano himself, who skillfully bridged the creative energies of Rome and New York, the exhibition serves as a vibrant conduit connecting Italy to the bustling heart of New York City.

In Mario Schifano’s world, images cease to function as we conventionally perceive them, forcing us to reconsider their meanings. His work prompts an analysis of functions, customs, social roles, cultural and political contexts, all imprinted on his canvases in real-time. With Schifano, questions about the new frontiers of creation arise. It’s a philosophical exercise linked to the experience of life, urging us to analyze real and widespread behaviors, in contrast to the more specialized or elitist ones.

The excitement surrounding the unveiling of Magazzino’s new Robert Olnick Pavilion is magnified by this extraordinary project, an extension of the exhibition, Mario Schifano: The Rise of the ‘60s, currently on view at the museum in Cold Spring, New York. Magazzino Italian Art is the only American museum dedicated to Italian Art. Meaning “warehouse” in Italian, the nonprofit museum and research center serves as an advocate for Italian artists as it celebrates the range of their creative practices from Arte Povera to the present. Through its curatorial, scholarly, and public initiatives, Magazzino Italian Art explores the impact and enduring resonances of Italian art on a global level.

Over the years, projects under the Valentino On Canvas brand pillar have shone a light on contemporary and emerging painters and sculptors. In Shanghai and Beijing in 2020 and 2021 during pandemic, the Maison staged two physical experiences, Re-signify Parts I and II, where the codes of the Maison were interpreted by and presented alongside contemporary art and visual research. Through abstracted forms, projections and other means of expression, Maison heritage was seen from new perspectives. In 2022, the Maison sponsored the Italian Pavilion at the 59th Biennale di Venezia, supporting the work of artist Gian Maria Tosatti in the pavilion’s first ever sole exhibition. In creating a dialogue with the Biennale, the Maison promoted and sustained culture while paying homage to the sites that have built Italy’s cultural panorama.

Recently, Valentino has conversed with the art world on an even more global scale, collaborating with contemporary artists for Frieze in Singapore and Seoul. For the occasions, artists were tasked with reinterpreting iconic Maison codes through their own artistic lenses, giving way to novel works that spur meaningful thought and partnering as main sponsor of Triennale Milano.

In May of 2023 on the occasion of the new Paris Flagship Store opening, Gioele Amaro, who partnered with the Maison for Valentino Re-Signify, was invited to exhibit within the newly redesigned Valentino Avenue Montaigne boutique. Inside, the artist displayed some of his most emblematic creations, while a monumental billboard on Avenue de l’Opéra featured a unique artwork from Amaro conceived especially for the occasion.

Now, through the brand’s new collaboration with Magazzino Italian Art, Maison Valentino further explores the Italian contemporary art sector, pushing the global narrative on the art providing educational opportunities for the public to encounter Italian art, culture, and creativity.

About Maison Valentino

Maison Valentino is synonymous with inclusiveness, uniqueness and creativity, a leading Italian institution in the fashion and luxury sector. The company, with its signature DNA, is a landmark of Made in Italy on the international scene, the most established Italian Maison de Couture with presence in Couture, Prêt-à-porter, Bags, Shoes and Accessories collections and in activities with licensed partners in Valentino Eyewear and Valentino Beauty. Jacopo Venturini, CEO from June 2020, and Pierpaolo Piccioli, sole Creative Director from 2016 are re-signifying the iconic code s leveraging Valentino’s unrivalled brand heritage in the contemporary world. Together they are developing and implementing a client-centricity project based on brand’s identity, being the most established Italian Maison de Couture. Couture is synonymous with obsessive attention to detail, to quality, to the importance of creativity and to the personal relationship between the customer and the company. The result is a strategic vision that puts people at its core, both internal and in terms of organizational structure, and external, shifting the focus on environmental responsibility. The new people-centric company culture certainly cannot be separated from the green transition started by the company years ago, which Venturini has decisively accelerated. Founded in 1960 by Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino S.p.A. is controlled by Mayhoola for Investments LLC since 2012. The acquisition allowed for a rapid development of the brand’s potential, which still continues today. www.valentino.com