Graffiti Exhibition
In March 2025, Museion will inaugurate a groundbreaking exhibition dedicated to the relationship between graffiti and contemporary art. "Graffiti" is the first institutional exhibition in Italy to explore the evolution of spray paint use in art, examining how the visual language of the city and the street has influenced studio-based artistic practices.
The exhibition offers a fresh perspective on graffiti, viewing it not just as an "outsider" practice but as a privileged lens for observing and experiencing the urban landscape.
A journey through 70 years of creativity
Bringing together interdisciplinary works spanning 70 years, "Graffiti" focuses on the evolution of spray painting — from its pioneering uses in the 1950s and 1960s to the graffiti writing of the 1980s and contemporary practices that have inherited its energy.
The exhibition unfolds across 1,500 square meters, occupying Museion’s two main floors, and showcases key works from the second half of the twentieth century to today, along with new site-specific creations.
From origins to contemporary art
The exhibition begins with spray paintings from the 1950s and 1960s by artists such as Hedda Sterne, David Smith, Martin Barré, Dan Christensen, Carol Rama, and Charlotte Posenenske. Alongside these, you’ll find works on canvas by legendary graffiti writers like Rammellzee, Futura 2000, Blade, and Lee Quiñones.
A notable selection of works from the 1980s and 1990s by Lady Pink & Jenny Holzer, Martin Wong & LA2, and Keith Haring highlights the dialogue between graffiti and contemporary art, while artists like Heike-Karin Föll, Michael Krebber, and Christopher Wool bring spray techniques into the new millennium.
Recent interactions are also explored: Georgie Nettell’s digital graffiti, Patricia L. Boyd’s bus shelter frame, Karin Sander’s Patina Paintings, as well as new works by Kunle Martins, WANTO, and a site-specific piece by N.O.Madski in dialogue with KAYA’s sculptures.
An urban landscape on display
The second part of the exhibition transforms into a true urban landscape. Here, you’ll find works reflecting street life, including Klara Lidén’s trash bins and electrical boxes, Josephine Pryde’s New Media Express (a miniature graffiti-covered train), and urban interventions like R.I.P. Germain’s sculpted shutter, Matias Faldbakken’s wall installation, and Alix Vernet’s street castings.
Installations, films, and photographs by Charles Atlas and Manuel DeLanda vividly portray the vitality and energy of the urban scene.
An innovative research project
"Graffiti" also inaugurates Museion’s new long-term research project, focused on forms of gentle resistance and on art as a social and urban practice.
The exhibition is co-curated by New York artist and archivist Ned Vena (born 1982, Boston, USA), whose background as a graffiti writer and deep knowledge of art history bring a multidisciplinary approach to this ambitious project.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to explore the world of street art!
For more information, visit the official Museion Bolzano website.
