In Italy, a disused silk factory is converted into contemporary art space

“Spazio MO.KA” by Lucio Arzuffi, installation view. In the background: artworks by Roberta Pagliari. Photo © Inexhibit.

In Northern Italy, a disused silk factory is converted into a contemporary art space

In Soresina, a small town of 9,000 people 48 kilometers from Milan and 23 from Cremona, there is a space dedicated to creativity with all the inspirational power which often characterizes abandoned places that got a second chance at life.

In the 19th century, many silk mills (called Filanda in Italian) were active in town, and in the whole region in general; smaller ones were mostly annexed to farms, as in the case of the Pedroni silk mill. The history of this factory is similar to those of other industrial buildings – disused and abandoned for a long time, and occasionally adapted to various functions; indeed, for some time, the building accommodated a small coffee machine manufacturing plant. The “happy end” came in 2016, when the former silk mill has been converted into a sort of creative factory, which houses art ateliers and exhibition spaces.

“Spazio MO.KA”, by Lucio Arzuffi, installation views. Above, foreground: artworks by Lucio Arzuffi. Photo © Inexhibit. 

A gate leads from the town’s heart into a courtyard, on which all ground-floor spaces open.
The main exhibition space here, entitled “Spazio MO.KA” and conducted by Lucio Arzuffi, is a daylight-filled hall, flanked by smaller rooms. An artist and art dealer from Bergamo, Arzuffi has been so fascinated by the allure of the place that he decided to move his business into the premises and create a gallery for both his and other artists’ work. Still accessible from the courtyard by a brick ramp but located on the basement level, “Metalli Filati” (Spun Metals) is the showroom of Paolo Mezzadri, who is specialized in metal-made artworks. “Fuori Catalogo” (Out of Stock) is the third space located on the ground floor.
On the upper level, an imposing rectangular hall illuminated by large windows on both long sides accommodates “Filanda Pregiata”, conducted by Riccardo Bonfadini, the first artist who decided to move his studio into the building.

Left: “Spazio MO.KA”. Right: The space of “Metalli Filati” by Paolo Mezzadri. Photo © Inexhibit.

Above: “Fuori Catalogo” space, installation view. Photo © Inexhibit.

Above: Views of the “Filanda Pregiata” space, conducted by Riccardo Bonfadini.
Photo © Inexhibit.

From March 4 through 24, 2017, the spaces of the former Pedroni silk mill accommodated a collective exhibition, part of the 9th edition of the “Arte Cremona” contemporary art festival. The exhibition, curated by Elena Dagani /Art Service, featured works by Lucio Arzuffi, Rosalinda Uzzo, Demis Martinelli, Paolo Mezzadri, Lorenzo Bocca, Roberta Pagliari, Vittorio Venturini, Ulisse Gualtieri, Giulia Ronchetti, Patrik Corrado, Donatella Sommariva, Riccardo Bonfadini, and Mariano Biazzi Alcantara.

“Spazio MO.KA”, by Lucio Arzuffi, installation view. Background, artworks by Giulia Ronchetti; on the right artworks by Roberta Pagliari; in the center of the image, artworks by Lucio Arzuffi, Photo © Inexhibit.