Setting up in continuity

The new layout of the Municipal Gallery of modern and contemporary art in Arezzo

Abstract

This article explores the rearrangement project of the Galleria Comunale di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (Municipal Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art) in Arezzo, addressing the complex interaction between exhibition space, works of art and genius loci. The rearrangement, conceived to accommodate different styles and languages, is a dialogue between past and present, drawing inspiration from the building's history, from its monastic origins to its subsequent transformations, and reflecting on the importance of natural light and the relationship between interior and exterior. The analysis includes the exhibition dedicated to Afro, whose transition from the figurative to the abstract emphasises the complementarity of solids and voids, light and shadow. Through an approach based on openness and flexibility, the exhibition space is reinterpreted as a container for art and as a place of social and cultural connection, where the transitory is intertwined with the eternal. The article reflects on the potential of temporary installations in renewing the relationship between works, spaces and visitors, emphasising the importance of fluid and adaptive design in the contemporary context.