Giacomo Balla exhibition in Parma: a universe of light

You know those names you hear mentioned a thousand times, but only when you see one of their paintings do you realize how revolutionary they were?

Well, Giacomo Balla is one of those names.

If you don’t know him well yet, this is your chance to discover him as you’ve never seen him before.

From October 10, 2025, to February 1, 2026, Palazzo del Governatore in Parma will host “Giacomo Balla, a universe of light,” an exhibition that brings the entire collection of the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art dedicated to this giant of the 20th century outside Rome for the first time.

Over 60 works, many of which are rarely exhibited, are gathered in 13 rooms, taking visitors on a journey through the artist’s entire oeuvre. Trust us, it will be a surprising journey.

Giacomo Balla in Parma: light, genius, and revolution

Giacomo Balla, born in Turin in 1871 and died in Rome in 1958, liked to call himself the “Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century.” Was he exaggerating? Perhaps not.

Balla was a visionary, a self-taught artist, and a tireless artist who made light his guiding theme. He pursued it in his paintings, analyzed it in his drawings, and broke it down into futuristic geometries.

The exhibition in Parma recounts this obsession with light, following the evolution of his research: from social realism to divisionism, from radical futurism (of which he was one of the signatories along with Marinetti, Boccioni, and Carrà) to a surprising and still little-known final figuration.

Works never seen together before

The exhibition is curated by Cesare Biasini Selvaggi and Renata Cristina Mazzantini, with the collaboration of Elena Gigli, and has been made possible thanks to the exceptional loan of the most complete public collection on Balla. A collection formed by generous donations from the artist’s daughters, Elica and Luce, and enriched over time by scholars such as Maurizio Fagiolo dell’Arco.

The exhibition is enriched by archival materials, recent studies, and photographs that allow visitors to reconstruct not only the history of the works, but also that of the man behind the brush.

On display you will find masterpieces such as:

“Nello specchio” (1901-1902), the painting that even won over Puccini;

The four canvases of the “Dei viventi” cycle, featuring the marginalized victims of progress;

“La pazza”, a striking portrait of mental illness, painted on the terrace of the artist’s home-studio;

The studies for “I ritmi dell’archetto” and the famous “Compenetrazioni iridescenti”, precursors of European geometric abstraction;

The famous “lines of speed,” with dynamic works such as Espansione dinamica + velocità n. 9 (Dynamic Expansion + Speed No. 9);

The painting “Forme-volume del grido Viva l’Italia” (Forms-Volume of the Cry Viva l’Italia), with X-ray analyses revealing a hidden female figure;

And finally, Balla’s last figurative work, inspired by photography, cinema, and Roman gardens.

Special mention should be made of the work “La fila per l’agnello” (The queue for the lamb), created in 1942 and seen through the window of the artist’s building. An intense image of everyday life during the war, which tells better than a thousand words the power of light, even in the darkest moments.

Why visit this exhibition

Because it is not just an exhibition, but a journey into the mind of an artist who changed the way we see the world.

Because it tells you about art as a process, as research, as a continuous tension towards the unknown, and also because you will discover a different Balla, less academic, more human and experimental.

Finally, because Parma is beautiful and at its best in autumn. A weekend of culture, tortelli, and the masterpieces of Parma? I wouldn’t think twice.

EXHIBITION INFORMATION
GIACOMO BALLA, A UNIVERSE OF LIGHT
Palazzo del Governatore – Parma
From October 10, 2025, to February 1, 2026

Tickets: booking is recommended.

“Giacomo Balla, a universe of light” is much more than a retrospective. It is a total immersion in a brilliant mind, in a light that never stops changing shape.

Whether you are an art lover or simply curious, this event in Parma is not to be missed.

I have already marked the date on my calendar. How about you?