This time of year is great for filling up on cultural activities: the days are getting shorter, the air is getting cooler and we haven’t hit the crazy winter holiday/exams period yet.
To get your fill, why not make the most of your time studying abroad in Milan focusing on Italian culture and history? We highly suggest a good photography exhibit to do so. Photography combines both art and history: each picture is a snapshot of a particular time, frozen forever.
With that in mind, we’ve put together some info on 4 great historical Italian photography exhibits that will be in Milan this fall (with some going on into the winter months too). Check out each exhibit’s website for opening hours.
Read on, but don’t take our word for it, see for yourself. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Toni Nicolini Photos 1960s-2000s
What: If photography could be poetry, Italian photography Nicolini would be one of the modern period’s best realist poets. His photos span several decades and several areas of Italy and beyond. Learn a little about what was happening in Italy during the second half of the last century through the eyes of this poet-photographer.
When: 16 September-23 October 2016
Where: FORMA, Via Meravigli 5 (M1 Cordusio)
How much: €8 – €6
Federico Patellani Photos 1945-1946
What: A little further afield (you’ll have to go to Cinisello Balsamo, a Milan suburb, to see it), this exhibit focuses on the specific period right after WWII and specifically when the Republic of Italy was founded on 2 June 1946. That was also the first time women were given the vote in Italy. A mix of everyday life and photos focusing on the birth of a new country, 70 large-scale photos are included in the show.
When: 18 September 2016-15 January 2017
Where: MUFOCO, Via Frova 10, Cinisello Balsamo (M5 Bignami, then tram 31)
How much: Free admission
Italian Women Photographers 1965-2015
What: This unique exhibit features around 50 Italian photographers, all women. With the emergence of feminism and social change in the ’60s, women in Italy began stepping behind the camera to capture a before-unseen point of view. The show also features a multimedia installation that includes interviews with photographers along with their works of art.
When: 5 October 2016-8 January 2017
Where: Triennale di Milano, Viale Alemagna 6 (M1 M2 Cadorna)
How much: €6
Milano, Story of a Rebirth 1943-1953
What: Another exhibit focusing on the time around WWII (during and after), this one doesn’t open until mid-November. You’ll see lots of images about the destruction from the war and the reconstruction after it was over. There are also posters, objects and mementos from the time period.
When: 10 November 2016-12 February 2017
Where: Palazzo Morando, Via Sant’Andrea 6 (M1 San Babila or M3 Montenapoleone)
How much: €10 – €8