Ropac expands to Italy with a New Space in Milan’s Palazzo Belgioioso
In a significant move for the international art world, Thaddaeus Ropac has opened his first Italian art gallery in the heart of Milan. Housed within the historic Palazzo Belgioioso, the new location brings one of Europe’s most influential gallery networks to Italy, adding Milan to the roster of cities that includes Paris, London, Salzburg, St. Moritz, and Seoul. This marks the seventh global space for Ropac and a major milestone for Milan’s cultural landscape.
Milano, Palazzo Belgioioso
Palazzo Belgioioso, located just steps from the iconic Teatro alla Scala and the high-fashion district of Via Montenapoleone, is a jewel of neoclassical architecture. Designed by Giuseppe Piermarini and completed in 1781 for Prince Alberico XII di Belgioioso d’Este, the palazzo has recently undergone a detailed restoration. The building now merges historical elegance with contemporary design, featuring original decorative elements such as frescoes by Martin Knoller and stuccoes by Giocondo Albertolli. This sophisticated setting provides a striking backdrop for exhibiting modern and contemporary artworks.
At the helm of the new gallery is Elena Bonanno di Linguaglossa, an art world professional with over 25 years of experience. She previously held senior leadership roles at Lévy Gorvy Dayan and has worked extensively in both Italian and international art scenes. Her career includes curatorial positions and exhibitions at Villa Bardini in Florence, Galleria Borghese in Rome, MAMbo in Bologna, and Collezione Panza in Varese. Her deep knowledge of Italian and American modern and contemporary art makes her uniquely positioned to lead this ambitious new chapter for the gallery.
Opening Exhibition: Georg Baselitz Meets Lucio Fontana
The debut exhibition at the Milan art gallery is a compelling dialogue between two giants of the 20th and 21st centuries: Georg Baselitz and Lucio Fontana. The show, conceived as a tribute to the spirit of Italian innovation, features previously unseen artworks by Baselitz that were created specifically in homage to Fontana. The project was developed in close collaboration with the Lucio Fontana Foundation, which has generously provided rare pieces on loan. Additional works have been contributed by private collectors and the Baselitz archive.
The curatorial approach emphasizes the shared radicalism of the two artists. While Fontana is renowned for slashing through canvas to explore the spatial dimension of art, Baselitz’s expressive inversions challenge conventional forms and perspectives. Together, their works engage in a dynamic conversation that transcends time and medium. The exhibition is also accompanied by a scholarly catalogue, featuring texts by art historian Flavia Frigeri, currently curator at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and Luca Massimo Barbero of the Lucio Fontana Foundation, with an introduction by Bonanno di Linguaglossa herself.
Elena Bonanno di Linguaglossa
exhibition view, courtesy Thaddaeus Ropac
exhibition view, courtesy Thaddaeus Ropac
A Carefully Designed Art Gallery for Milan
The new Thaddaeus Ropac art gallery in Milan spans 280 square meters and includes both exhibition spaces and office areas. The venue had previously hosted Massimo De Carlo and Peres Projects before being reimagined by the Ropac team. The transformation involved restoring historical floors, upgrading lighting systems, and installing modern security features to protect the high-value artworks that will be showcased.
What sets this gallery apart is not just its indoor spaces but its connection to the surrounding urban fabric. Piazza Belgioioso, located directly outside, will host public installations and outdoor exhibitions. This initiative aims to extend the reach of the gallery beyond traditional confines, engaging the city and its residents with large-scale contemporary works.
A secondary, more discreet location has also been opened on Via Bigli. This private office and viewing room is intended for collectors and institutions involved in the secondary market, further reinforcing the gallery’s multifaceted presence in Milan.
A Longstanding Relationship with Italian Art
Thaddaeus Ropac has long maintained a deep engagement with Italy and its artistic heritage. Since 2014, the gallery has represented the Fondazione Emilio Vedova internationally. Notable among its projects is the retrospective curated by Germano Celant at Palazzo Reale in 2019–2020, marking the centenary of Vedova’s birth. This partnership underscores Ropac’s commitment to promoting Italian masters on a global stage.
Another major initiative was the 2017 London exhibition “Medardo Rosso: Sight Unseen.” It was the first show in the UK to focus on the artist’s relationship with London and featured rarely seen works, including Rosso’s own photographs of his sculptures and drawings. The exhibition was a critical success and deepened international understanding of Rosso’s influence.
Ropac’s connection to Milan is further reinforced through his representation of Anselm Kiefer. In 2004, Kiefer inaugurated the monumental installation “The Seven Heavenly Palaces” at Milan’s Pirelli HangarBicocca. The project was expanded in 2015 with five large-scale paintings, making it one of the most significant contemporary installations in the city.
The gallery’s Milan location also plays a pivotal role during the Venice Biennale and other major art events in Italy. Ropac has supported artists such as Alex Katz, whose works were shown at the Giorgio Cini Foundation in 2024, and Martha Jungwirth, presented at Palazzo Cini the same year. In earlier years, the gallery facilitated exhibitions for Joseph Beuys (2022), Adrian Ghenie (2019), and Daniel Richter (2022) at various prominent venues in Venice.
In 2019, Georg Baselitz was honored with a major retrospective at the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, showcasing his career-defining artworks. Similarly, in 2022, Anselm Kiefer presented a monumental installation at Palazzo Ducale, another example of the gallery’s ability to orchestrate ambitious, high-profile cultural moments.
Looking Ahead: Milan as a Cultural Nexus
Thaddaeus Ropac’s new art gallery in Milan is more than just another location—it is a strategic platform for artistic dialogue, international collaboration, and the ongoing celebration of Italian and European culture. By choosing Milan, the gallery places itself at a historic crossroads of fashion, design, and visual art.
With the inaugural exhibition dedicated to Lucio Fontana and Georg Baselitz, the gallery underscores its mission: to honor the legacies of the past while opening new pathways for contemporary creation. Whether through public sculpture in Piazza Belgioioso, carefully curated shows in its restored neoclassical halls, or private presentations in Via Bigli, Thaddaeus Ropac is positioning itself as a central player in Milan’s—and Italy’s—contemporary art future.
This expansion represents not only a physical growth but also a cultural commitment: a renewed promise to support artists, engage the public, and contribute meaningfully to the art ecosystem through powerful exhibitions, insightful catalogues, and unforgettable artworks.