Inside Volumnia gallery: design in a Renaissance church

Volumnia Gallery  is set within the unusual backdrop of the Church of Sant'Agostino in Piacenza, the headquarter of an active gallerist who decided to use it as exhibition space for her projects. Enrica De Micheli, with twenty years of experience in the world of antiques and research design, opened the venue in October 2018 after having won a concession from the city council, with the idea of combining art, culture, and social life.

 

Volumnia Gallery: from Renaissance Basilica to art destination

‘Volumnia was born out of a passion that stems from my work: I wanted to find an unusual space that would allow me to carry out my vision, free from patterns and restrictions,’ says De Michieli.

'The project is led by a desire to give back because art is the heritage of all. The gallery gives me the chance to express my vision through art, furniture, and objects that I love, while allowing me to keep my passion of collecting alive. The future destination is to continue this wonderful journey.

‘The restoration works uncovered the original Renaissance layout of the Basilica, with its immense spaces, colonnades, plaster and frescos. The exterior courtyard with the adjoining monastery's carpentry workshop was also restored,’ she says.

The location also includes Restaurant IO, created in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Luigi Taglienti, as ‘a space that can be experienced in continuity with the aesthetic experience of the gallery.’

The gallery’s programme has included exhibitions by artists such as Giorgio Milani, Giuseppe Tirelli, Gianluigi Colin, Carlo Brandelli, Ewa Wilczynski, and emerging talent featured in the Ducato Prize, while in 2019, Volumnia dedicated a major exhibition to Gabriella Crespi, attracting significant attention both nationally and internationally.

The most recent display at Volumnia features a retrospective of Franco Albini’s work, also an opportunity for De Michieli to launch a new publishing project that will include books on leading contemporary artists and modern creatives. ‘Studying is the most important incentive in my job and it drives me on my vision and choices for Volumnia every day,’ she adds. ‘[The exhibition on] Franco Albini was born from the admiration for his work, and going deeper into the many aspects of his figure has been very captivating.’

De Michieli is planning next year’s displays to coincide with Milan Design Week 2024. ‘I have many dreams, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to see them all come true. One that I particularly cherish is to make an exhibition for a friend, [lighting designer and entrepreneur] Davide Groppi. Davide lives in Piacenza, my hometown and in my opinion, he is an extraordinary summary of passion, dedication, commitment, and precision.’

Volumnia Gallery
Stradone Farnese, 33
29121 Piacenza PC
Italy

volumnia.space