About

Founded by Nicoletta Fiorucci in 2010, Fiorucci Art Trust has promoted emerging artistic exploration in both institutional and unconventional locations. It was formerly directed by Milovan Farronato, who curated the programme of exhibitions, artists’ commissions, publications, residencies and workshops in London as well as offsite. The Trust’s decade-long summer festival Volcano Extravaganza took place on the island of Stromboli and became one of the Trust’s most famed activities.

Fiorucci Art Trust operated until 2021 when it became NICOLETTA FIORUCCI FOUNDATION (new website coming soon). 

NICOLETTA FIORUCCI FOUNDATION is a non-profit arts organisation that promotes experimentation and innovation in contemporary art and design with a focus on ecology, sustainability, and inclusivity. Based in London, but structured as an archipelago of homes and residency spaces in various locations in Europe, the Foundation commissions and produces visionary projects and acts as a support system for artists, designers, and institutions. Founded by Nicoletta Fiorucci in 2021, and building on the legacy of the Fiorucci Art Trust since 2010, the Foundation currently encourages the exploration of art through multisensory and unconventional approaches while fostering the cross-pollination of radical ideas.

PROGRAMME (2010-2021)

VOLCANO EXTRAVAGANZA

Volcano Extravaganza began as an informal residency programme for artists in 2008 on the island of Stromboli as part of Roadside Picnic workshop series. The annual summertime festival was aptly named Volcano Extravaganza, due to the volcanic nature of Stromboli and focused mainly on performance, using the tempestuous environment as a backdrop. Volcano Extravaganza has since become the Trust’s most recognisable programme structured “as a time-based exhibition and led by a number of artists usually lasting between three days to a week”. The festival focuses on multidisciplinary arts with a focus on performance, where ‘”the several sound, body language and visual amplification merges into one”. Artistic leaders of previous editions include Maria Loboda (2019); Runa Islam (2018); Eddie Peake (2017); Camille Henrot (2016); Milovan Farronato (2015); Haroon Mirza (2014); Lucy McKenzie (2013); Nick Mauss (2012) and Rita Selvaggio, together with Farronato (2011). 

LEZIONI D’ITALIANO

In 2013, Fiorucci Art Trust initiated Lezioni d’Italiano, a series of artist-led lecture performances conceived around the theme of Italianness. Throughout the years, numerous artists have been presenting their research in the domestic space of Fiorucci Art Trust. Previous iterations include: Arabeschi di Latte, Occhio, Malocchio, Prezzemolo, Finocchio, (2021); Giangiacomo Rossetti, Tower 1, (2021); ‘Cinzia Ruggeri: Chi è entrato nel mio letto?’ curated by Rita Selvaggio, (2021); Beatrice Marchi, Le Lezioni di Guida, (2021); Riccardo Paratore, How Italian Are You Really?, (2021); SAGG NAPOLI, Sagg Scopa Fat, (2020); Alex Cecchetti, Taman Shud (2015); Anna Franceschini with Diego Marcon and Federico Chiari, Videogiochi (2014); Chiara Fumai, I Did Not Say or Mean ‘Warning’ (2014); Ian Kiaer, Il Baciamano (2014); Liliana Moro, Last Tape (2014); Sissi, Parallel Anatomy (2014); Patrizio Di Massimo, Monologue for two (2013).

MYCORIAL THEATRE

Fiorucci Art Trust presented annual workshops, such as the ongoing series Roadside Picnic, which included Mycorial Theatre conceived in 2014 with artist Paulina Olowska. The first and second edition took place in Rabka Zdroj, Poland (2-8 October 2014 and 2-9 October 2015) and Pivô Art and Research in São Paulo, Brazil (1– 7 September 2016) where the third edition coincided with the 32nd Bienal de São Paulo, which took Live Uncertainty as its curatorial theme.

WORKSHOPS

As part of its erratic programme, Roadside Picnic also included the New Year’s Eve Costume Drama workshops Party Monster (2013) and Tribute to Ballets Russes (2012). In 2015, Fiorucci Art Trust initiated a series of perfume workshops to promote artists’ research in fragrances, in collaboration with Creative Perfumers, London, which led to the exhibition I’m here but you’ve gone (2015). In 2017, led by its founder’s interest in wellbeing practices, the Trust started investigating meditation as a new tool for artistic research through meetings called Meditative Tuesdays. 

RESIDENCIES & SITE-SPECIFIC COMMISSIONS

Among its activities, Fiorucci Art Trust also runs a programme of artist’s residencies in London, Stromboli (Italy) and Li Galli (Italy). Artists participating have included Hell Gette; Christodoulos Panayiotou; Adriana Lara; Ed Fornieles; Joana Escoval; Habima Fuchs; Riccardo Arena; Lucas Arruda.

In 2014, as part of its residencies programme, Fiorucci Art Trust presented the first site-specific commission for its previous London headquarters, By, With, To & From by Nick Mauss. This large installation took over the entire ground floor of the house and included a choreography of four automatic curtains – one of which was displayed as part of Mauss’ Frieze Project at Frieze London 2014. In October 2014, a new commission by Patrizio Di Massimo was presented. It combined works from Nicoletta Fiorucci’s collection – previously shown at Gasworks, London – with a new body of work created specially by Di Massimo. In November 2017, George Henry Longly was invited to be the first artist to realise a new skin for the previous Trust spaces in Spear Mews. The outcome, titled Toxungenous Activities was produced through a photoshoot and inspired by some of the works pre-inhabiting the space: a staircase by Le Corbusier, a table by Franz West and a suspended umbrella sculpture by Katharina Fritsch. In 2019, Joana Escoval embarked on a 9-month takeover of the Trust’s headquarter, leading to We Do Not Work Alone, which ultimately culminated in Beast of Gravity | Living Metals, a twilight walk by Joana Escoval with Nuno da Luz in Lisbon Estufa Fria enclosed-garden, in collaboration with Museu Coleçao Berardo and Kunsthalle Lissabon. 

COLLABORATIONS

As part of its programme of institutional collaborations Fiorucci Art Trust supported Zhana Ivanova’s Ongoing Retrospective at Kunsthalle Basel; it has produced Goshka Macuga’s work for Documenta 13 (2012) as well as Chiara Fumai’s Moral Exhibition House (2012); and Yto Barrada’s contribution to the 54th Venice Biennale (2011). As part of the Public Programme of the Istanbul Biennial, it organised a one-week workshop on the island of Kastellorizo, Greece titled The violent No! of the sun burns the forehead of hills. Sand fleas arrive from salt lake and most of the theatres close.

Throughout 2016 Fiorucci Art Trust collaborated with the Serpentine Galleries on a series of immersive performances titled the Magazine Sessions. Complimenting the Fiorucci Art Trust’s artist-led programmes of site-specific experiences – and realised with the participation of The Magazine restaurant – The Magazine Sessions invited artists to devise site-specific evenings where all aspects of the experience are considered. Events range from specially-conceived music and theatre performances to immersive environments to be explored and activated by the visitor with contributions from Anthea Hamilton, Christian Holstad, Celia Hempton, Emily Sundblad, Karl Holmqvist and Matt Copson.

Fiorucci Art Trust collaborated with Serpentine Galleries to also present Park Nights 2015: Dying on Stage with Christodolous Panayiotou and Park Nights 2014: Forget Amnesia with Haroon Mirza, Mark Fell, Okkyung Lee and Factory Floor. Camille Henrot’s Park Nights 2016: Buffalo Head: A Democratic Storytelling Experience took place on June 17th 2016. Through 2020 and 2021, thanks to Nicoletta Fiorucci Russo, Fiorucci Art Trust participated in supporting Serpentine Galleries programme Back to Earth. 

PUBLICATIONS

Over the years, Fiorucci Art Trust has produced several artists’ books and publications, including Rolling Stones, Roadside Picnic (2011); De Incontinentia by Roberto Cuoghi (Mousse, 2013); Runa Islam’s Dogs Devouring Dead Horses (2013); Lucy McKenzie and Alan Michael’s Unlawful Assembly (2013); Ten Fundamental Questions of Curating (Mousse, 2013) and Enrico David’s catalogue Repertorio Ornamentale for his solo show at Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa (2011).