About the Contemporary Naples Walk in Naples
New museums, such as MADRE, the Hermann Nitsch Museum, and P.A.N., evocative installations in Piazza del Plebiscito and the Capodimonte Museum, and a smattering of cutting-edge galleries has made Naples one of the most sought-after destinations for discovering what's new in the art world. In fact, last year the New York Times declared that "Naples is Italy's best-kept secret," in terms of contemporary art. During this three-hour walk through Naples' lively city center (a piece of contemporary art, itself), we will discover the newest places and names that are making their mark on the art world, alluring collectors and enthusiasts from all over the globe with its edgy originality.
Naples first became a modern-art center in the 1960s when the top artists of the time, such as Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly were spending time in Naples and being inspired by their surroundings. In this same period, the first private art galleries were springing up, mostly in the well-off C
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New museums, such as MADRE, the Hermann Nitsch Museum, and P.A.N., evocative installations in Piazza del Plebiscito and the Capodimonte Museum, and a smattering of cutting-edge galleries has made Naples one of the most sought-after destinations for discovering what's new in the art world. In fact, last year the New York Times declared that "Naples is Italy's best-kept secret," in terms of contemporary art. During this three-hour walk through Naples' lively city center (a piece of contemporary art, itself), we will discover the newest places and names that are making their mark on the art world, alluring collectors and enthusiasts from all over the globe with its edgy originality.
Naples first became a modern-art center in the 1960s when the top artists of the time, such as Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly were spending time in Naples and being inspired by their surroundings. In this same period, the first private art galleries were springing up, mostly in the well-off Chiaia district. However, it wasn't until the past three years when entire museums dedicated to contemporary art sprung up. Our first stop on the walk, MADRE (Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina Napoli) was opened in 2005 and now houses a stunning collection of permanent works by Richard Serra, Sol LeWitt and Jeff Koons. Many of the pieces are in situ installations, created especially for the museum space. An intriguing aspect of MADRE is the deconsecrated, Gothic church of Donna Regina which is annexed to the museum. This soaring, ethereal space usually houses installations that play off themes of Neapolitan identity.
Next, we will head through the dense streets and narrow alleys of the historical center and pop in to the numerous contemporary galleries, which are sprouting up on a near-daily basis. Naples frenzied energy easily transfers to its art scene, which is imbued with the passion and originality characteristic of the Neapolitans. Many of the gallery-owners are young Neapolitans, fervent in their desire to create a new generation of artists and art-collectors, in a city that is so preoccupied with social problems that art seems to be a futile endeavor. In the company of these art insiders, we will discuss the changing face of the Neapolitan art scene. The end of the walk will end in the classic Neapolitan tradition of na' tazulella (a strong espresso coffee) and a debriefing, a perfect way to pick our docent's brain regarding other places around the city to get our fill of modern art.
