Inauguration of the Quarto Platano modern art museum in Forte dei Marmi

Promoting bodies: Current Foundation, Villa Bertelli Foundation.
Opening 28 June 2024, h.16.00

Studio jam architecture announces the opening of the Quarto Platano Museum of Modern Art at Villa Bertelli in Forte dei Marmi, created thanks to the collaboration between the Corrente Onlus Foundation and the Villa Bertelli Foundation, Friday 28 June at 16.00.
Villa Bertelli, prestigious late nineteenth-century villa and cultural center owned by the Municipality and in the heart of Forte dei Marmi, opens to the public a new museum dedicated to the great artistic personalities who animated Milanese culture and frequented the Versilia area from the beginning of the twentieth century until the seventies of the last century. Forte dei Marmi, Indeed, as well as being a well-known tourist and seaside destination, it was the crossroads of various currents of modern art. Between the two wars, coffee Rome, at the "fourth plane tree" in Piazza Garibaldi, it was a well-known meeting point for artists and writers: a history of the highest order both for local culture and for Italy, to remember and value. Collecting the requests of the community of inhabitants, citizens and loyal visitors to the Fort, Fondazione Corrente Onlus promoted the establishment of a scientific committee for the collection of an important group of works – coming from private collections – usable in the new dedicated exhibition space.
The Museum leads to the second floor of the Villa, whose ground and first floors have for years been dedicated to temporary exhibitions and events, the artists of the twentieth century who, in love with this country, of the territory and its landscapes, they found inspiration for their creativity there. Intellectuals and famous artists between the two world wars and thereafter, they chose that "fourth plane tree" café as the venue for their meetings.
The Museum itinerary is divided into a continuum between five thematic exhibition spaces: the first room is dedicated to the cultural history of the area; the journey continues with the masters of the 20th century and the authors active in the post-war period. The presence of the artists on display is prestigious: Guido Borgianni, Massimo Campigli, Felice Carena, Carlo Carrà, Robert Carroll, Bruno Cassinari, Alfredo Catarsini, George of Chirico, Raffaele de Grada, Gianni Dova, Achille Funi, Ugo Guidi, Renato Guttuso, Mino Maccari, Mario Marcucci, Marino Marini, Carlo Mattioli, Giuseppe Migneco, Francesco Messina, Henry Moore, Ottone Rosai, Alberto Savinio, Ardengo Soffici, Arturo True, Ernesto Treccani, Lorenzo Viani, Umberto Vittorini. The fourth room displays authorial photographs and documents that testify to the presence of famous writers and poets such as Piero Bigongiari, Magda De Grada, Eugenio Montale, Enrico Pea, Piero Santi, Vittorio Sereni, enriching the intense dialogue between art and territory. Finally, one room is dedicated to the sculptor Arturo Dazzi, whose works were donated by his heirs to the Municipality of Forte dei Marmi.
The setup, curated by Jacopo Muzio – Studio Jam Architettura of Milan, uses exhibition rooms of different colors and articulated exhibition supports to accompany the viewer on a visit in close contact with the architectural character of Villa Bertelli, enhancing the different groups of works on display on a thematic level. There are horizontal "passepartout" display cases where, through the reproduction of iconographic apparatus and in-depth analysis, the cultural context and biographical profiles of the artists are narrated, highlighting their connection with the territory. In the center of the rooms, the seats for the public host some sculptures present in the collection.
The new rooms of the Villa dedicated to a permanent exhibition space thus effectively integrate the other activities of the Foundation (temporary exhibitions, concerts and events), developing a new awareness of citizenship and tourism of the artistic and cultural history of Forte dei Marmi.

Colophon
MUNICIPALITY OF FORTE DEI MARMI
Mayor: Bruno Murzi
Deputy Mayor: Andrea Mazzoni Councilor for Culture: Graziella Polacci VILLA BERTELLI FOUNDATION
President: Ermindo Tucci Councilor: Annalisa Buselli Councilor: Ilaria Cecconi
Organizational Secretariat: Veronica Leonardi Press Office: Gessica Nardini
Scientific Committee: Enrica Antonini, Deianira Friend, Giovanni Bonelli, Luca Carrà, Giovanna Cassinari, Luigi Cavallo, Nicoletta Colombo, Dante Destro, Giuliana Dompé, Ireno Francesconi, Magda Grifo, Vittorio Guidi, Giorgio Seveso, Pietro Marani, Maddalena Treccani, Jacopo Muzio (coordinator), Ermindo Tucci, Annalisa Buselli
Archive research with the collaboration of the University of Milan and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan: Gaia Alfieri, Jasmin Prezioso
Assistance with archive research and installation: Leonardo Tomassini, Camilla Tornabene
Assistance with archive research and Sala Dazzi set-up: Veronica Leonardi, Blessed Veschi, Nicolò Bertola, Alberto Di Muccio
Translations: Olivia Loudon, Elora Roncalli
Exhibition project: Jam Architecture – Jacopo Muzio Architect, Milano
Graphics Show: Roberto Priori (Milano), Daniele Rossi (Milano)
Exhibition Promotion Graphics: Stedan Graphic Design Print, Viareggio
Promoting bodies: Current Foundation Onlus (Milano), Villa Bertelli Foundation (Forte dei Marmi)
With the collaboration of: Carlo Carrà Archive, Ugo Guidi House Museum Archive, Alberto Savinio Archive, Friends of Enrico Pea Association, Belli collection, Querceta, Vittorini Barga collection, Bruno Cassinari Committee, Committee for the protection of the works of Ernesto Treccani, Alfredo Catarsini Foundation 1899, Ardengo Soffici and 20th century Italian Museum, Nicoletta Colombo art studio (Achille Funi and Raffaele De Grada archive)
We thank each other: Valdemaro Baldi, Franca Baldi, Antonio Barberi, Dino Bargellini, Teresa De Grada, Stefano De Martino, Giuliana Dolini, Nicoletta Gentile Pescarolo, Vittorio Giannotti family, Barbara Malipiero, Luca Marchesini, Giovanni Muraro, Anna Pescarolo, Giulio Treccani, Anna Zaniboni Mattioli.
With the patronage of: Tuscany region, Province of Lucca
With the contribution of: Municipality of Forte dei Marmi, Rotary Club Forte dei Marmi, Mutua BVLG Technical sponsor: Butterfly Transport srl