Zegna explores familial legacies in art exhibition

Italian fashion label Ermenegildo Zegna’s foundation is co-presenting an exhibit centered on the works of a father and his son.

“Padre e Figlio. Ettore Pistoletto Olivero - Michelangelo Pistoletto” is being held in three locations, including at the brand’s archival and exhibit space Casa Zegna. While focusing on the bond between parents and children, the exhibit also traces the longstanding history of Zegna’s relationship with the Pistolettos, showcasing its art patronage.

Family focus
In 1929, Ermenegildo Zegna commissioned a series of murals from Ettore Pistoletto Olivero on wool processing, titled “L’Arte della Lana.”

Now, Fondazione Zegna is working with Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto and Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Biella on the exhibit, which is being staged at Casa Zegna in Biella, and Cittadellarte and Palazzo Gromo Losa in Trivero. This follows two other showcases centered on the Pistolettos, which were held in Turin, Italy in 1973 and 2008.

Through 100 works including paintings, installations, videos and photographs by Ettore Pistoletto Olivero and his son Michelangelo Pistoletto, the exhibit aims to trace the bond between the two artists. The exhibit also seeks to explore the role that children play in creating their parents’ legacies.

Exhibit at Casa Zegna. Image courtesy of Zegna

Fondazione Zegna’s president Anna Zegna conducted a series of video interviews with the younger Mr. Pistoletto on the subject of father-son relationships. Mr. Pistoletto also self-narrates the exhibit.

“The rich and variegated exhibition allows a multi-layered reading of a very topical theme. Taking cues from the dialogue between Michelangelo Pistoletto and his father, it is possible to examine the concepts of historic and subjective time, as well as the need to accept the differences which can, at times, even result in a form of intimate complicity,” said the exhibit’s curator Alberto Fiz in a statement.

Zegna's support of the arts dates back to its beginnings, but more recently the brand dabbled in art during the Expo Milano 2015 for a long-term preservation project on the Italian coasts.

Fabulae Naturae was created by the artists Lucy + Jorge Orta and commissioned for the Milan headquarters of Zegna. The multi-sensorial performance and 500 plate designs helped the brand’s attempt to preserve the coastline of the Cinque Terre (see story).