CASTELLO DI RIVOLI
WEBSITE: WWW.CASTELLODIRIVOLI.ORG
LOCATION: PIAZZA MAFALDA DI SAVOIA, 10098 RIVOLI, TORINO, ITALY
NEAREST AIRPORTS: TORINO AIRPORT, 30 MINUTES DRIVE
The architecture of Castello Di Rivoli, the site of the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea of Turin, is perhaps the most striking thing you will notice as you drive up above the city of Rivoli to visit. First mentioned in the 9th century, the site has been built, rebuilt, burnt, bombed, abandoned, collapsed, and destroyed by passing armies for over 10 centuries. Rather than deny it its history, the modern day restoration celebrates its cuts and bruises, incorporating the half ruins and unfinished attempts at rehabilitation creating a maze of history that tells the tale of extraordinary prosperity and careless destruction.
Left: Castello di Rivoli exterior. Right: the Manica Lunga building.
Without going too much into the history of the building itself, which can be read on the museum’s website, the real draw for visitors of this day and age is the contemporary art museum, which opened in 1984. It is a brilliant museum whose mission statement is to engage local and international audiences in a deeper understanding of our present times through art and culture, while contributing to the social development of its surrounding region. What I particularly like about this space is that it fulfils the mission without being preachy, a crime of which many museums are now guilty.
Left: Manica Lunga building. Right: Interior view of Manica Lunga
The museum has a good collection displayed in interesting ways around the salons-cum-galleries, Manuca Lunga (long galleries, literally translating to ‘long sleeve’), and surrounding lands, and it has continuously presented innovative exhibitions and radical art performances, while remaining sensitive to the unique castle that hosts it. The collection, which includes artists such as Gilbert & George, Nan Goldin, Mona Hatoum, Pierre Huyghe, William Kentridge, and At Atkin, to name but a few.
Interior gallery views in the main palace building.
The exhibition programme has been excellently executed, with exhibitions that tackle current world issues, expose the local population to the richness of the art world by importing exhibitions from abroad with international artists and collections such as the Sigg Collection, and not shying away from exhibiting artists whose practice is more concerned with art than politics, such as the exhibition of Giorgio Morandi. It is a great balance of conceptual art and more painterly or sculptural works. A fusion of politics and philosophy.
Interior gallery views in the main palace building.
Castello di Rivoli have also recently acquired the estate of Francesco Federico Cerruti located a short drive from the main museum building. There are free shuttles available to get you to the house where you will see Cerutti’s house as he left it, with works from Medieval to contemporary times. He was largely a recluse so very few people got to see the collection in his lifetime. Playing the voyeur is half the fun but there are nice gems dotted around, as well as a tempting wine cellar.
The Cerruti Collection, interior and exterior.
When you are next in Turin, I highly recommend to spend a few hours at the Castello Di Rivoli. It is imaginative as well as beautiful, with nice views and much to stimulate the mind. Ever Saturday and Sunday there is a free shuttle that connects Piazza Castello in central Turin to Castello di Rivoli, via Porta Susa (Piazza XVIII Dicembre) railway station. Godere!