Milan Gallery Scene: An Interview

Milan Gallery Scene: An Interview

Giampaolo Abbondio is a rising star in Milan's contemporary art scene. His Galleria Pack (Foro Buonaparte 60. 02/86996395. www.galleriapack.com) has attracted a number of important young artists to its stable. Giampaolo is a Milanese by birth, and unabashedly proud of what he calls "the least Italian city in Italy."

Q: Giampaolo, what exactly do you mean when you call Milan the least Italian city in Italy?

A: Well, it's not, of course. We're still Italians. But Milan has been a crossroads for many years, a meeting place from which Italy can access the rest of Europe, and from which the rest of Europe can be introduced to Italy. I think that has made Milan a little more European than other parts of the country. Some of that is good: we have excellent public transportation, stores that are open all day, things like that. And some of that is not so good: they say we work too much, we don't take the time to enjoy life like they do in the rest of Italy. But I'm sure that's clearer to Italians than from a foreigner's point of view. I mean, we still make an excellent risotto…

Q: Most people don't think of Milan when they're thinking of great Italian art; they think of places like Rome, Florence, and Venice. Are they making a mistake?

A: Of course! I mean, it's true that Milan isn't the most "artistic" place in Italy. It has a very strong private sector but a weak public sector, meaning there is not a lot of money for museums and other public cultural works. But it also means that there's a lot of private investment in art. Rome may have the museums, but Milan has the more fertile art scene.

Q: What features of Milan's contemporary art activities that a visitor to Milan should know about?

A: Well, the P.A.C., or Padiglione di Arte Contemporanea (Via Palestro 14. 02/76009085. www.comune.milano.it/pac). The P.A.C. is a public space that hosts a constantly changing series of temporary shows. It is a kind of city gallery that does four or five important shows a year. Another is the Palazzo della Triennale (Via Alemagna 6. 02/724341. www.triennale.it) , which, like the Stazione Centrale, is interesting for its classic Fascist architecture no matter what's going on inside. And the Triennale is located in the middle of Parco Sempione, which has some important public artworks including a fountain by De Chirico and an amphitheater by Arman. And of course, at least as far as I'm concerned, no visit to Milan would be complete without a tour of the important contemporary art galleries! Besides my gallery, there are the Emi Fontana (Viale Bligny 42. 02/58322237) , Salvatore & Carolina Ala (Via Monte di Pietà 1. 02/8900901) , Massimo De Carlo (Via Ventura 4. 02/70003987. www.massimodecarlo.it) , and 1,000 Eventi (Via Porro Lambertenghi 3. 02/45478297). This is the best way to avoid lines at the museums…you go see the art in a gallery before it gets too famous!