History

The Association for Art and Culture – “Casamonti Collection” is a contemporary art exhibition itinerary located in Florence, established on the initiative of the gallery owner Roberto Casamonti, founder of the Tornabuoni Arte galleries. The exhibition features around 250 artworks by Italian and international artists dating from the late 19th century to the present day.

Opened in 2018 on the main floor of Bartolini Salimbeni Palace at Piazza di Santa Trinita, 1, the “Casamonti Collection” featured two sections on a rotating basis, divided as follows: from the early 20th century to the 1960s, and subsequently, from the 1960s to the early 21st century.

In 2026, it was announced that the exhibition would be relocated to a new venue, with the move taking place from 28 September, to allow for the display of a larger collection of artworks. The choice fell on San Giorgio Palace on Lungarno Serristori, which has since undergone extensive restoration and refurbishment work carried out by the architectural firm Archea Associati.

At San Giorgio Palace, the exhibition itinerary is organised across 28 rooms spread over two floors: the aim is to take visitors on a journey through different artistic movements and styles, alternating between historical overviews, comparisons between artists, and in-depth explorations of the major stylistic trends of the 20th century and the contemporary era.

From developments in Italian painting between the 19th and 20th centuries to the historic international avant-garde movements – including Futurism and Metaphysical Painting, Surrealism, Cubism and Abstract art – the exhibition traces a path through the artistic developments of the second half of the 20th century, including Informal Art, Spatialism, Arte Povera, Nouveau Réalisme, Pop Art, Graffiti Art, the Transavantgarde, Video Art and Performance Art.