SHARRYLAND
Verza Row and Fiume Foundation
Art revives silk industry spaces in Canzo
Where is
What it is and where it is
In Canzo, in the Larian Triangle, a building with an industrial flavor, complete with a red brick chimney, houses a collection of contemporary art. It is the Filanda Verza, and the works that can be visited inside were created by Salvatore Fiume and Laura Fiume, father and daughter. Paintings, statues and furniture pieces occupy the large spaces of the spinning mill.
Salvatore Fiume and the Spinning Mill: a bit of history
In 1936, it was Salvatore Fiume himself who bought the spinning mill that had been disused for a century to make it his creative hub. In the four levels of the spinning mill he created his studio making large paintings and sculptures. He began his work on the huge works commissioned by architect Gio Ponti for the ships Giulio Cesare and Andrea Doria. Some spaces were adapted for the production of ceramics, and an old wood-fired kiln, previously used for the treatment of silkworms, was reactivated for the firing of his ceramics.
Not to Be Missed
Today, the Verza Spinning Mill can be visited thanks to the presence of the exhibition itinerary created by the Fiume Foundation, which organizes guided tours, available by reservation only. The tour provides access to Fiume's private studio and part of his home, offering the opportunity to see works representative of his entire long creative arc. In addition, it is possible to immerse oneself in the art of Fiume's daughter Laura, who had an artistic and human partnership with her father, working between painting studios and workshops in ceramics, silk-screen printing and lithography.
Fun fact: a cultural hub and a private wing
Part of the building became a concert hall with over three hundred seats, in which a large three-keyboard organ was placed, transforming Canzo into a small capital of organ music in Italy. A second half of the building was acquired by the Conti-Valsecchi family, which continued the ancient use of the water motive power for the construction of a small turbine and preserved and restored the entire building.
Want to find out more about the history of the Filanda Verza? Read more about the silk industry in Canzo.
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