THE WITNESS - NABA Visual Arts Exhibition

NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, presenta THE WITNESS in collaborazione con Casa degli Artisti: una mostra di arte contemporanea che esplora il ruolo dell’artista come testimone attivo del presente e delle sue trasformazioni.

Dal 13 al 17 maggio 2026, a Milano, il progetto si sviluppa come un dispositivo espositivo collettivo e interdisciplinare che coinvolge studenti e docenti del Dipartimento di Arti Visive di NABA, attraverso opere, installazioni e sistemi espositivi progettati da Matilde Cassani Studio.

La selezione dei lavori è affidata a un comitato artistico composto da docenti e artisti dell’Accademia: Yuri Ancarani, Beatrice Catanzaro, Zasha Colah, Francesco Jodice, Marcello Maloberti, Simona Malvezzi, Elena Mazzi, Adrian Paci, Andrea Sala, Giovanna Silva e Patrick Tuttofuoco.

La mostra riflette sulla condizione contemporanea di visibilità permanente e sulla capacità dell’arte di dare forma alle tensioni politiche, sociali e identitarie del presente. Accanto alla mostra, un articolato public program attiva quotidianamente Casa degli Artisti con performance, lecture, studio visit, screening e momenti di confronto.

NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, presents THE WITNESS in collaboration with Casa degli Artisti: a contemporary art exhibition exploring the role of the artist as an active witness of the present and its ongoing transformations.

From May 13 to 17, 2026, in Milan, the project unfolds as a collective and interdisciplinary exhibition device involving students and faculty from NABA Visual Arts Department, through artworks, installations, and display systems designed by Matilde Cassani Studio. The selection of works is entrusted to an artistic committee composed of NABA faculty and artists: Yuri Ancarani, Beatrice Catanzaro, Zasha Colah, Francesco Jodice, Marcello Maloberti, Simona Malvezzi, Elena Mazzi, Adrian Paci, Andrea Sala, Giovanna Silva and Patrick Tuttofuoco.

The exhibition reflects on today’s condition of permanent visibility and on the ability of art to shape and reframe the political, social, and identity-related tensions of the present. Alongside the exhibition, an extensive public program activates Casa degli Artisti throughout the week with performances, lectures, studio visits, screenings, and moments of exchange.

Info: Opening of THE WITNESS with live performances by Filippo Paci and Francesca Furone, activating Casa degli Artisti.

Info: A day dedicated to curatorial and theoretical exchange, opening with "Biographies Imaginative", a dialogue between artists in residence at Casa degli Artisti and NABA artists. The programme continues with a student-led symposium by the NABA MA in Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies, structured around four working tables: Ecology; Art and Memory; Feminisms and Queer Practices; Decolonisation. The day concludes with a lecture by Steven Henry Madoff (School of Visual Arts, New York).

Info: Studio visits with collectors Marta Orsola Sironi and Mauro Mattei (French Place Trust), guided tours, and a video screening curated by Yuri Ancarani.

Info: A day dedicated to performance practices, featuring a series of performative activations led by Gaia De Megni and Marina Cavadini. The programme includes a contribution by Clara Storti, former resident artist at Casa degli Artisti, exploring research on the relationship between body and materials through a dialogue with performance and artistic practice.

Info: Final performance by Collective Artender, closing THE WITNESS and its public program.

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Host or Publisher NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti