by Nina Vaclavikova
Interview: Marianna Accerboni, Art critic, curator of the exhibition, and creator of the project
A new exhibition opening at Magazzino 26 in Porto Vecchio explores the work and legacy of five women artists whose careers helped define the artistic landscape of 20th-century Italy and Europe.
Titled “Trieste Women Artists of the 20th Century in the Italian and European Avant-Garde,” the exhibition runs from July 24 through Sept. 27, 2026, presenting more than 220 works, including paintings, drawings, ceramics, fashion designs, theatrical sketches, photographs, archival documents and personal correspondence.
Curated by art critic Marianna Accerboni and promoted by Associazione Foemina APS in collaboration with the City of Trieste, the exhibition focuses on Leonor Fini, Maria Lupieri, Maria Melan, Anita Pittoni and Miela Reina—five artists whose work spanned painting, design, fashion, publishing, theater and illustration while maintaining strong ties to Trieste.
The exhibition, first presented at the Italian Cultural Institute in Brussels in 2024, returns to Trieste before continuing to other international venues, including Paris and Berlin.
Organized into five monographic sections, the exhibition combines artworks with letters, photographs, videos and historical documents to trace each artist’s creative development. Among the featured materials are previously unpublished correspondence between Leonor Fini and her friend Giorgio Cociani, as well as works that have rarely been displayed publicly.
The project also examines Trieste’s role as a cultural crossroads during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a major Habsburg port with close connections to Vienna, Paris and other European artistic centers, the city provided an environment that encouraged experimentation across disciplines, according to the exhibition’s organizers.
The multimedia exhibition includes newly produced video installations, music and a series of public events, including lectures, guided tours, book presentations and performances throughout its run.
Works on display have been loaned by several public institutions, including the Civico Museo Revoltella, the Civic Museums of History and Art of Trieste, the Biblioteca Civica A. Hortis, the University of Trieste and the Wolfsoniana in Genoa, as well as private collectors and the artists’ families.
The exhibition is open Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday through Sunday, including holidays, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is €5.
More information is available at www.triestecultura.it. Reservations and event information can be obtained by calling +39 335 6750946 or emailing marianna.accerboni@gmail.com.
