800 years after the death of St Francis of Assisi, Rivarolo Canavese is dedicating an exhibition to the saint that brings together ancient and contemporary art, with the aim of rediscovering, through the artists’ eyes, the extraordinary relevance of his values today: peace, brotherhood, spirituality, respect for nature and relationships with others.
On display are three 17th-century paintings from the Koelliker Collection, on loan from the BKV Fine Art Gallery in Milan, which offer different interpretations of the figure of St Francis: Michelangelo Vanni, *St Francis Supported by an Angel*; Giacinto Brandi, *St Francis in Prayer*; and *Anonymous*, *St Francis Supported by Angels*, attributable to the French Caravaggist school.
Taking these works as a starting point, the exhibition explores the sensibilities of contemporary art, involving young and mid-career artists—both Italian and international—who engage with the themes of St Francis. Some have been invited to engage directly with the historical works and develop their own interpretation of the figure of Francis; others have been selected because their artistic practice addresses themes deeply rooted in the Franciscan vision.
The exhibition features paintings by Sebastiano Pallavisini, Emanuele Pagnanini, Giacomo Modolo, Jacopo Dimastrogiovanni, Tomas Kurecka, Ondrej Roubik, Michele D’Amico and Mattia Noal; an interactive installation by auroraMeccanica; and sculptures by Daniele Accossato and Matteo Lucca.