Andrea Branzi: to exhibit

Taking a selection of the works in the exhibition and Toyo Ito's design as a starting point, this round-table discussion will explore a central dimension of Andrea Branzi's work: the relationship between space, objects and the construction of exhibition devices.

The seminar will explore the exhibition theories that Branzi’s work provokes and their relevance to contemporary exhibition methods at the crossroads of design, art, architecture and curatorial practices. The themes of looking and exhibiting permeates Branzi's entire practice - from museums to auditoriums, from stage design to exhibitions - and his reflection on the role of cultural institutions and the landscapes they intersect with. The discussion will focus on how exhibition or viewing structures contribute to orient perception, behaviors and forms of collective life.

Speakers Catherine David, Fosbury Architecture and Catharine Rossi will explore his legacy in a panel moderated by moderated by Michela Alessandrini, co-curator of the exhibition.

Program Thursday 1 October 2026, 18.30 – 20.00

Michela Alessandrini and Nina Bassoli, curators of the exhibition Andrea Branzi by Toyo Ito.

Continuous Present.

Welcome Michela Alessandrini Introduction and moderation Round-table discussion with

• Catherine David, art critic and curator

• Fosbury Architecture, design and research collective

• Catharine Rossi, professor of architecture and curator

Catherine David is an art historian and independent curator. She served as Deputy Director of the Musée national d’art moderne (MNAM) - Centre Pompidou in Paris and Head of the Research and Globalisation Department from 2014 to 2021. Previously, she was curator at the MNAM and the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume in Paris, before becoming Artistic Director of documenta X (Kassel, 1997).

Throughout her career, she has directed and curated major international projects, including Contemporary Arab Representations, the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art in Rotterdam, and significant exhibitions devoted to artists and artistic scenes from Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Her recent projects include Wifredo Lam, Memories from the Futures. Indian Modernities, Latiff Mohidin: Pago Pago (1960–1969), and S.H. Raza at the Centre Pompidou.

Fosbury Architecture (FA) is an architecture and research firm based in Milan that operates in the fields of architecture, exhibition design, curation, and research. Its work explores the relationship between space, culture, and society, operating on various scales and in different contexts to examine how architecture can respond to changing environmental, social, and cultural conditions.

In 2023, FA curated the Italian Pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia, developing a research-based project that brought together a network of firms and regions throughout Italy. The firm has also participated in international exhibitions and biennials and has developed exhibition projects and collaborations with cultural institutions, including the Triennale di Milano, the Centro Pecci, the Museion, and the GAMeC.

Alongside its cultural activities, FA operates as a research-oriented creative agency, collaborating with international fashion and design brands such as Bottega Veneta, MSGM, Ferragamo, Ferrari, Dedar, Nilufar, and Flos.

Catharine Rossi is Professor of Architecture and Research Lead at University for the Creative Arts (UCA) Canterbury School of Architecture, Art and Design. She is a design historian, curator, researcher, writer, and educator, her interests include Italian design, craft, nightclubs, feminism, environmentalism, and contemporary design and architecture. Publications include Crafting Design in Italy (MUP, 2015) and the coedited volumes The Italian Avant-Garde (Sternberg, 2013), PostCraft (Sternberg, 2020) and Beyond the Dancefloor (Bloomsbury, 2027).

Cocurated exhibitions including Night Fever: Designing Club Culture 1960–Today (Vitra Design Museum, 2018– 2022) and At Home: Panoramas de nos vies domestiques (Saint-Etienne Design Biennale, 2022).