A Spring of Exhibitions in Bologna
Updated on 10 January 2025 From Bologna Welcome
Spring brings art into bloom: ranging from successful closing exhibitions to intriguing new ones, here are the highlights of this season, held at the most striking venues
Until 5 May 2025, the Museo Civico Medievale of Bologna will be hosting an exhibition dedicated to the Oriental art collection of Norman Jones (1903-1985), donated to the Municipality of Bologna in 2023 by his daughter Ruth. The exhibition comprises 47 works, including Indo-Islamic miniatures, Hindu-inspired sculptures, netsuke, Japanese woodcuts and Chinese objects from the Qing dynasty (1644-1912), such as embroidered textiles, fans and watercolours. During the opening period, a rich programme of guided tours, workshops and lectures on Asian art will be offered, organised by the Centro Studi d'Arte Estremo-Orientale di Bologna in collaboration with Luca Villa.
-> Open Tue-Thu 10am-2pm, Wed-Fri 2pm-7pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm
At Palazzo Belloni, until 31 May, get ready to test your senses with optical illusions and visual games sure to challenge your perception. A fun and intriguing experience for the whole family.
-> Open Sun-Thu 10am-7pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm
©silviastrocchi63 via IG @illusionibologna
From 6 February to 7 September 2025, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Bologna, MAMbo presents a large group exhibition curated by Lorenzo Balbi and Caterina Molteni. Set up in the Sala delle Ciminiere, the exhibition brings together over 100 works and archive documents by more than 70 artists, offering a journey through seventy years of Italian art, analysed through the leitmotif of irony. The works, divided into thematic macro-areas, explore different facets of the phenomenon: from paradox to play, from irony as a tool for social and feminist criticism to nonsense and dark humour.
Supported by the main sponsor Gruppo Hera, the exhibition is part of the programme of ART CITY Bologna 2025, on the occasion of Arte Fiera.