Brera incontra Bookcity Milano 2025

SCOPRI GLI EVENTI FIRMATI ACCADEMIA DI BRERA

Dal 10 al 16 novembre 2025, si terrà la quattordicesima edizione di BOOKCITY MILANO, la manifestazione dedicata al libro e alla lettura che coinvolge l’intera filiera del libro e attrae tutti coloro che amano farsi colpire dalla potenza della parola. Per l’edizione di quest’anno l’Accademia di Brera si rende protagonista con un calendario ricco di eventi.

Women in Photography: Practitioners, Labourers, Entrepreneurs in a Global Perspective (1839–1939)

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 

An International Conference to Rewrite the History of Women’s Role in Photography

The international conference Women in Photography: Practitioners, Labourers, Entrepreneurs in a Global Perspective (1839–1939) will take place on 20–21 November 2025 at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan. The event marks the conclusion of the PRIN 2022 PNRR NextGenerationEU project “Fotografiste: Women in Photography from Italian Archives, 1839–1939”, jointly promoted by the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca and the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera.

The conference is coordinated by an international scientific committee composed of Linda Bertelli (IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca), Costanza Caraffa (Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz), Patrizia Di Bello (Birkbeck College, London), Malavika Karlekar (Centre for Women’s Development Studies, New Delhi), Nicoletta Leonardi (Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milan), Kylie Thomas (University College Cork), and Akram Zaatari (artist and filmmaker). The international conference represents a moment of synthesis and renewal in a two-year research project aiming to shed light on the presence and work of women in the field of photography.

Why are there so few women in the history of photography?

Several studies have highlighted the obstacles that have limited women’s recognition and success in photography, as well as the ideological underpinnings of historiography that have often rendered them invisible within dominant narratives. Despite recent research, women’s roles in the history of photography remain underexplored—particularly during the period from the invention of the medium, around 1839, to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

The conference aims to restore visibility to the work of women who, during the first century of photography, played a crucial role in its development. Its goal is to rediscover identities and trajectories through the lens of feminist studies, bringing to light forgotten or overlooked figures and reexamining historical narratives traditionally centered on male photographers and enterprises.

The initiative brings together scholars from universities and institutions around the world—including Birkbeck College, University of London, Princeton University, University of British Columbia, EHESS (Paris), University College Cork, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and many others—to reflect, from transnational, interdisciplinary, and gender perspectives, on women’s roles in photography, restoring visibility to shadowed figures and redefining the historical narrative in a global context.

Over two days, six thematic sessions will address the key issues of this emerging historiography. Discussions will explore women’s educational training and professional paths between the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, highlighting how they built careers despite the social constraints of their time. A significant portion of the program will focus on invisible labour and women’s participation in the photographic industry—often omitted from official credits, yet essential to the production and dissemination of photographic images. Other panels will delve into networks of collaboration, women-run studios, female participation in colonial and postcolonial contexts, and professional strategies developed across countries and continents. Special attention will also be given to archival sources and the use of digital humanities as tools to rediscover forgotten figures and uncover connections among photographic histories, places, and practices.

The program will also feature a poster session for early-career researchers, presenting original studies on archives, studios, and women photographers in Italy, Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Alongside the academic sessions, the first day will conclude with a presentation on the activities and archive of the Libreria delle donne di Milano, followed by a social dinner at the same venue.

On the evening of 21 November, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., the conference will close with Things that Death Cannot Destroy (Part 11), a performance with magic lanterns and voice by artist Linda Fregni Nagler.

Linda Fregni Nagler’s work invites the audience on an encyclopedic journey into the past. The projection, conceived as a cadavre exquis, unfolds through unexpected visual associations, reactivating an archive of photographic images from diverse sources—from natural history to journalism, from anthropology to devotional imagery—revealing a vision of the world as represented by modernity. The sequence of glass slides, drawn from the artist’s own collection, spans from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Using two original magic lanterns, the artist and performers will bring this vast visual repertoire to life through live readings of captions, archival notes, numbers, codes, and period copyrights, offering a re-staging and recontextualization of this extraordinary visual heritage.

Practical Information

Admission: Free, with prior registration at https://forms.gle/ZBWGeNmn47sUwqtu6

Performance with magic lanterns and voice:
Linda Fregni Nagler – Things that Death Cannot Destroy (Part 11)

Admission: Free, with prior registration at https://forms.gle/uyxiLvqN5xymGxaFA

The conference will be held in English and streamed live on the official channel of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera. It will also be promoted through the social media of the participating institutions and the Fotografiste project.

Information: www.fotografiste.com
Email: comunicazione@fadbrera.edu.it | ufficiostampa@imtlucca.it 

IartNET | “The ‘Antegnati’ Organ of Darfo: A Resource for the Territory”

CONFERENCE | CONCERT 

As part of the activities of IartNET – an international platform for artistic research and cultural heritage at Italian higher arts education institutions – the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera announces an international study day and a concert on the historic organ housed in the former Monastery Church of the Visitation in Darfo (Brescia), curated by the “Luca Marenzio” Conservatoire of Brescia.

The event, entitled The Antegnati Organ of Darfo: A Resource for the Territory, will open at 11:00 a.m. with a guided tour of the organ led by Marco Ruggeri at the small church of the former Convent (via Quarteroni 10).

In the afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., a conference dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the organ heritage of the Camonica Valley will take place at the “Margherita Biondi” Public Library. The conference, moderated by Paolo Cavallo, will feature contributions from Alberto Chiari, Daniele Dallapiccola, Matteo Lombardi, Marco Ruggeri, Oliviero Franzoni, Maurizio Isabella, Luca Scandali, Paolo Peretti, and Silvio Sorrentino. The presentations will offer a broad overview of restoration practices, historical developments, and strategies for the enhancement of the organ heritage of the Camonica Valley.

The day will conclude at 9:00 p.m. in the small church of the former Convent with an organ concert by Maestro Luca Scandali, featuring a program devoted to repertoire from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, with works by Frescobaldi, Rossi, Purcell, Ximenez, Praetorius, Storace, and Scarlatti.

Recent research and analyses on the instrument have made it possible to ascertain that it largely originates from the renowned Brescian organ-building workshop of the Antegnati family. In particular, about sixty percent of the pipes, as well as the slider chest and mechanical structures, show strong analogies with Antegnati organs from around 1580–1590.

The provenance of the instrument remains to be discovered, since both the church and the organ case date from the mid-eighteenth century, when the monastery was built. The organ, abandoned during the 1970s, was later restored by the Pedrini firm in 1988 for didactic use at the Conservatorio. On that occasion, the Antegnati material in the pipework was identified and recorded in the files of the competent heritage authority. However, neither this significant finding nor the musical use of the organ received further attention, leading to a gradual neglect of the instrument.

A minor maintenance intervention carried out in 2022 by the organ builder Pietro Corna, commissioned by the Conservatorio, served to inspect the ancient components and immediately highlighted the need for more in-depth investigation. These studies were conducted by the organologist Maurizio Isabella and have been published in detail in the prestigious journal L’Organo (Bologna, Ed. Patron, vol. LIV, 2025).

The organ collection of the Conservatorio of Darfo also includes another valuable instrument: the “Tamburini” organ (1980), a mechanical instrument with three manuals, located in the adjacent former choir of the church (now the Conservatorio Auditorium). Both instruments are currently playable, yet they would benefit from further technical refinement — the “Antegnati” organ to fully restore its distinctive sound qualities, and the “Tamburini” organ to adapt it more effectively to contemporary performance needs and acoustic spaces.

The full usability of these two instruments would place the Conservatorio of Darfo in a position of national excellence, with a strong cultural impact on the surrounding area, where more than two hundred historical organs are preserved — many of them abandoned or in need of restoration. 

As a university-level institution, the Conservatorio promotes initiatives that conceive culture as an international field of research and shared knowledge, while constantly nurturing interaction between academic activity and the cultural development of the local area.

Information:

Conservatoire “Luca Marenzio” of Brescia – Sezione di Darfo Boario Terme
www.consbs.it  ufficiostampa@consbs.it

PNRR IartNET 

https://www.accademiadibrera.milano.it/en/iartnet

IartNET | Storia dell’Arte e Accademie di Belle Arti: Origini, Sviluppi, Prospettive

CONVEGNO INTERNAZIONALE

Convegno internazionale di studi a cura di Gerardo de Simone e Cristina Frulli.

Le Accademie di Belle Arti rappresentarono in Italia e in Europa fin dalla fondazione una realtà culturale viva e feconda, nella quale l’insegnamento delle pratiche artistiche fu ab origine affiancato da insegnamenti storico-teorici, considerati fondamentali per l’educazione dei giovani artisti. 

Cattedre di Storia dell’Arte, di Estetica o di materie affini sono ben documentate, coi rispettivi docenti e programmi, così come sono ricostruibili le dotazioni di volumi (nuclei delle biblioteche accademiche), disegni, stampe, fotografie, oggetti e materiali didattici. Il presente Convegno di studi si propone di gettar luce sull’impiantarsi, in particolare nei secoli XVIII e XIX in cui si costituirono le Accademie ‘storiche’ (senza dimenticare le fondamentali ‘avanguardie’ cinquecentesche dell’Accademia fiorentina delle Arti del Disegno e di quella romana di San Luca), dell’insegnamento della Storia dell’arte nelle Accademie di Belle Arti, e sui suoi successivi sviluppi. 

Da molti anni il tema della didattica della Storia dell’arte è al centro di importanti ricerche di Storia della critica d’arte, che hanno illuminato dinamiche e problemi circa l’introduzione della disciplina e la sua istituzionalizzazione tra la fine dell’Otto e gli inizi del Novecento. Queste ricerche hanno privilegiato l’insegnamento nelle Università e nelle Scuole secondarie. Più in ombra è rimasto l’ambito, parallelo, cronologicamente precoce e certo non meno rilevante, delle Accademie di Belle Arti: il simposio odierno ambisce a colmare questo vuoto, grazie alla partecipazione di studiosi di alto profilo di ambito sia accademico che universitario, affrontandolo da varie angolazioni e sfaccettature, al fine di restituire la vitalità, la ricchezza e la complessità della riflessione storica e teorica sulle arti e della connessa didattica nelle Accademie di Belle Arti, le sue ricadute sulla produzione artistica e la sua importanza per l’evoluzione della storia e della critica d’arte. Patrocinato dalla SISCA (Associazione Italiana di Storia della Critica d’Arte), il convegno vedrà la pubblicazione degli Atti in un numero monografico della rivista "Predella" (https://predella.it/), in doppia edizione online e a stampa.

Contatti: abafi@accademia.firenze.it

UNFOLDING PAPER: HISTORY, MATERIALITY AND USES OF WESTERN PAPERS

WORKSHOP INTERNAZIONALE

From 21 to 24 October 2025, the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan will host the international workshop Unfolding paper: history, materiality and uses of Western papers, led by Leila Sauvage, conservator and researcher specialising in the study of paper materials.

This four-day hands-on workshop is designed for researchers, students, cataloguers, curators, and conservators wishing to deepen their understanding of Western paper as both a material and a cultural artefact. Combining lectures, demonstrations, and direct examination of paper, the program fosters close observation, interdisciplinary dialogue, and collaborative learning.

Participants will explore:

• the history of papermaking in the Western world and shared terminology for paper description;

• how production techniques leave visible traces and how to identify them;

• current tools and methods for technical and scientific paper analysis;

• the role of paper in artistic practice, focusing on how artists selected and adapted their supports for drawing.

   

Through guided exercises and group work, attendees will sharpen their observational and descriptive skills, building a plurilingual vocabulary and an integrated approach that connects material study, conservation, and scholarship.

The initiative is part of the PNRR project INTAFAM IartNET – an international platform for artistic research and cultural heritage at Italian higher arts education institutions, led by the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera. Funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, Mission 4, IartNET is coordinated by Nicoletta Leonardi.

In particular, the workshop is part of the project initiatives promoted by the “Camillo Boito” School of Restoration, dedicated to the study and enhancement of the drawings of Andrea Appiani and Giuseppe Bossi. Encompassing conservation, documentation, and research, these activities aim to restore full legibility and understanding to this extraordinary graphic heritage and are carried out under the scientific supervision of Maria Chiara Palandri.

Practical Information

Dates: 21–24 October 2025, 9:30–16:30

Hosted by: Brera Academy of Fine Arts - Historical Collections

Lecturer: Leila Sauvage, conservator and researcher, is Paper Conservator and Scientist at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. A graduate of the Sorbonne, she conducts research on the conservation of pastel paintings and the technical analysis of Rembrandt’s drawings, and collaborates on projects applying artificial intelligence to the study of historical papers. Since 2021, she has been Head Lecturer of the Book and Paper Conservation training program at the University of Amsterdam.

Scientific coordinator: Maria Chiara Palandri (FIIC – Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works), Professor of Conservation and Restoration of Paper and Parchment Materials, and Coordinator of the PFP5 specialisation at the “Camillo Boito” School of Restoration, Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera.

Participants: Students and collaborators of the IartNET research project.

Project PNRR IntAFAM_00066

IARTNET - an international platform for artistic research and cultural heritage at Italian higher arts education institutions 

CUP D43C24000580001

A Como rinasce Turanda, l’opera dimenticata di Antonio Bazzini  

SPETTACOLO

A più di centocinquant’anni dalla sua prima e unica rappresentazione, avvenuta il 13 gennaio 1867 al Teatro alla Scala, il Conservatorio di Como — in collaborazione con Casa Ricordi, che ha curato la revisione critica della partitura, e nell’ambito del progetto di finanziamento europeo “Casta Diva” — presenta il primo allestimento in età moderna di Turanda. Composta da Antonio Bazzini, apprezzato compositore bresciano di metà Ottocento nonché maestro di Giacomo Puccini, l’opera è tratta dall’omonima commedia di Carlo Gozzi, la stessa che fornirà al suo allievo l’ispirazione della più nota Turandot. Lo spettacolo va in scena domenica 26 ottobre alle 20.30 al Teatro Sociale di Como, con replica lunedì 8 dicembre, sempre alle 20.30, al Teatro Lirico “Giorgio Gaber” di Milano. La regia è affidata a Stefania Panighini, vincitrice del Premio “Idee per Alfieri” al Festival Astiteatro nel 2004 e che ha firmato opere per il Wexford Festival, l’Opera di Tenerife e il Daegu Opera Festival in Corea. Sul podio sale invece il Maestro Bruno Dal Bon, direttore di titoli operistici in Europa, Cina e Giappone. A dar vita alla parte musicale della produzione sono i solisti, il coro e l’orchestra del Conservatorio di Como, tutti formati da soli studenti dell’istituzione, mentre a curare scene e costumi sono gli allievi dell’Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, partner del progetto. La revisione critica per Casa Ricordi è di Antonio Moccia. 

Ritratti di Vittorio Zago, Stefania Panighini, Bruno Dal Bon e bozzetti dello spettacolo Turanda: 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/c4h9fn7h8gecweepwne7a/ALtCBG2akWarXG2_FRFe3So?rlkey=nvvar5hq5mpha0k1v7wfq7yai&st=ay4p1t69&dl=0  

Locandine ciclo di eventi su Turanda: 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/59sja1105mhfzb0p2lo9o/ALvvr93NQDMs6nQCmYoBqHg?rlkey=oz6pzghkhrqlmkn8p93y8p7i4&st=3e1x5xv2&dl=0  

Patrimoni di ricerca

GIORNATA DI STUDI

Il 24 ottobre 2025, nell’ambito del Work Package 2 (WP2) del progetto Enacting Artistic Research (EAR) – PNNR_INTAFAM00060, CUP B83C24001590005 finanziato dall’Unione Europea – Next Generation EU.

Coordinamento scientifico Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera: Prof.ssa Claudia D’Alonzo
Responsabile scientifico Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma: Prof.ssa Beatrice Peria
Responsabile del WP2 Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma: Prof.ssa Costanza Barbieri

L’Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera organizza la Giornata di studi Patrimoni di Ricerca, a cura di Chiara Nenci e Rosanna Ruscio.

Aperta a studenti, docenti ed esperti del settore, con la partecipazione dei partner del WP2 Enacting Artistic Research di Roma e Firenze, la giornata sarà dedicata al processo creativo dell’opera d’arte, indagato da storici dell’arte, scienziati e restauratori che hanno maturato una profonda conoscenza ed esperienza diretta anche dei patrimoni storici delle accademie d’arte, in Italia e all’estero.

La seconda parte della giornata si svolgerà negli spazi delle Raccolte Storiche dell’Accademia, di fronte alle opere che il progetto EAR ha consentito di studiare con rinnovata attenzione e con un approccio trasversale alle competenze.

Scultura Paesaggio Architettura

GIORNATA DI STUDI

Il Ventuno di Ottobre del Duemilaventicinque

Festa in Piazza

dei giovani autori a Brera

liberi Incisori Pittori Scultori Architetti Poeti e Musicisti appuntamento alla monumentale Magnolia grandiflora

si sorseggia si festeggia si conosce si impara si insegna e si inaugura ci si cura della bellezza oltre i segni

si percepisce la fortuna di appartenere alla storia ci si ritrova fra amici d’impegno e d’ingegno

si rispetta la differenza e si accoglie la diffidenza ci si riconosce Città delle Donne e degli Uomini si sogna di Arte e Scienza.

Con le parole in apertura dello Scultore e Professore Guido Lodigiani e i saluti del Pittore, Professore e Direttore Franco Marrocco, l’ACCADEMIA DI BELLE ARTI DI BRERA invita a prendere parte ai lavori della sesta giornata di studi su SCULTURA PAESAGGIO ARCHITETTURA. L’intento dell’iniziativa, giunta alla sua 6°edizione, è di confrontarsi e analizzare l’attuale situazione della scultura, con una particolare considerazione al tema della scultura pubblica nel territorio italiano. Sono previste comunicazioni in ambito storico ed interventi dalla cronaca.

Laboratorio di ricerca interdipartimentale 2025 – 2026

Prof. Gabriele Giromella, Prof. Guido Lodigiani, Prof.ssa Chiara Nenci

Progetto SCULTURA PAESAGGIO ARCHITETTURA  A.A. 2024/2025

Prof.ri Paolo Delle Monache, Alberto Gianfreda, Guido Lodigiani. Prof.sse Chiara Nenci, Nada Pivetta