The 32nd edition of Artissima reaffirmed its relevance to the European art fair calendar. Held in Torino’s Oval, the former Olympic speed-skating rink, the fair once again demonstrated the strength of its curatorial identity and its ability to convene galleries, collectors, curators and institutions from across the world.
This year’s theme, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, referenced Buckminster Fuller’s ideas around planetary stewardship. Yet what emerged felt more like archaeology than future solutions: a reflection on the past and present urging us to slow down and see the beauty around us.
It was like walking among artefacts from a lost civilisation, fragments of order from a world moving too fast for art to keep up. That slowness brought peace, the kind that comes when you admit you’re no longer steering the ship. And in that surrender, beauty lands differently.
Artissima’s organisational quality remained one of its strongest assets. Clear signage, consistent visual communication and an increasingly recognisable fair identity contributed to a seamless visitor experience. The distinctive fluorescent bag became something of an Artissima signature, and a visible marker of the event across the city.
Research from King’s College London, shared widely in the cultural sector this year, underscored the positive psychological impact of viewing art in person. Artissima provided exactly that environment: a large-scale, in-real-life cultural experience where physical presence matters.