Rehang: Displaying the Archives of Collezione Maramotti

For the past twelve years, the building of Collezione Maramotti and its contents have been taken care of by its protective family owners, specifically by Luigi Maramotti (current chairman of Max Mara and the son of the brand’s late founder Achille Maramotti). Though visitors are free to enter the building, the institution is reserved for appointment-only guests (of up to 25 people at a time) and no children under 11. That being said, the Collezione has been opening itself up to the public eye more and revealing more about its ethos. Last year, for example, the institution hosted its first Max Mara fashion show — showing once again that art and fashion go hand in hand. This year, the institution will continue this development by diving into their archives, and put them on display for the public for the first time since it’s opening. The exhibitions, aptly named “Rehang” and “Rehang: Archives”, indicate a moment of reflection and re-evaluation for the, now iconic,  institution in Reggio Emilia. A moment to reflect on the past, to look to the future is a crucial step for any institution that wishes to continue to evolve.

When first entering the building, the viewer is welcomed by the documents, books, works and objects from the Collezione’s vast archives and library. Through relevant examples, these materials offer a brief overview of the vitality within the creative process of these artworks and the connections between the various works that form the permanent collection (which features close to 200 works belonging to some of the most significant artistic trends of the second half of the 20th century). It is here that the institution creates an undeniable connection between the importance of the creative process of the artworks within their collection and the various works that form the basis of its spectacular collection.

On the second floor, the works of ten artists that exhibited at Collezione Maramotti since it opened to the public in 2007 have been rehung in new contexts. Solo shows from Enoc Perez, Gert & Uwe Tobias, Jacob Kassay, Krištof Kintera, Jules de Balincourt, Alessandro Pessoli, Evgeny Antufiev, Thomas Scheibitz, Chantal Joffe and Alessandra Ariatti, highlight the institution’s keen eye for the evolution of their artistic practices. It’s interesting to note that Collezione Maramotti doesn’t have a curator, in that sense, and never has. It is the artists that take control in directing the hanging of their works, and the flow of their exhibitions. By inviting these established artists to create not only new bodies of work (that will subsequently also enter the collection), but also create the context in which they are shown — the Collezione emphasises the Maramotti family’s well-honed eye for the evolution of painting and their restless fascination with the new.

“Rehang: Archives” will be on view at Collezione Maramotti from 3 March to July 28, 2019, wheras “Rehang” will be on permanent display at Collezione Maramotti.