October 2026 events: Fondazione Morandini in Varese
The Marcello Morandini Foundation of Varese is offering four events in October 2026, including visits, a concert, a catalogue and a workshop, accompanying the exhibition 'Antonio Barrese: Morphologies of Light' open until December 20, 2026.
Context
In brief
- Four events accompany the exhibition in October
- Children's tour, concert, catalogue and creative workshop
- The exhibition remains open until 20 December 2026
Key facts
- Exhibition → «Antonio Barrese: Morphologies of Light»
- Venue → Fondazione Marcello Morandini, Varese
- Children's tour → Saturday 3 October, at 15.30
- Concert → Sunday 4 October, at 11
- Conference → Friday 9 October, at 18.30
- Kids Lab → Saturday 24 October, at 15.30
On Saturday 3 October at 15.30, Fondazione Marcello Morandini in Varese will host the first event in the cultural programme accompanying the exhibition «Antonio Barrese: Morphologies of Light». The event is a guided tour for children aged 6 and over, led by Antonio Barrese himself and curator Stefania Gaudiosi.
The youngest visitors will discover the exhibition's works and themes through a tour designed to stimulate curiosity and creativity. The tour launches a schedule consisting of four events, organised in October for audiences of different ages.
The two events of the first weekend
The programme includes guided tours, a concert, a conference with the presentation of the catalogue and a workshop for children. Following Saturday's initiative, on Sunday 4 October at 11, music will return with the fifth concert of the «Sintonie» season.
The event will feature four double bass players from the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano: Omar Lonati, Giorgio Magistroni, Claudio Nicotra and Alessandro Serra. The programme includes music by Giuseppe Verdi, Georges Bizet and Carlo Galante.
Carlo Galante himself will be present to introduce the concert and one of his own compositions, which will be performed for the first time. The musical portion thus forms part of the schedule of activities accompanying the exhibition in the spaces of Fondazione Marcello Morandini.
The two dates of the first weekend therefore offer different activities: the visit on 3 October takes children among the works and themes of the exhibition, while the concert on 4 October presents a programme dedicated to Verdi, Bizet and Galante, performed by four double bass players from the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala.
The exhibition is curated by Stefania Gaudiosi and devoted to Antonio Barrese's research at the intersection of art, science and design. The exhibition will remain open in the spaces on via Del Cairo until 20 December 2026, while October's schedule will continue with the conference devoted to the catalogue and the creative workshop for younger visitors.
Operational details
On Friday 9 October at 18.30, the cultural program of Fondazione Marcello Morandini will enter the phase devoted to in-depth exploration. A conference is scheduled, with the participation of Antonio Barrese and Stefania Gaudiosi, curator of the exhibition «Antonio Barrese: Morphologies of Light».
The exhibition catalogue will also be presented during the meeting. The volume is the first catalogue of the Foundation curated directly by the artist and serves a dual function: an archival document and a tool for critical analysis.
The catalogue as a document of the project
The publication brings together texts, images and materials related to the exhibition itinerary. It also includes documentation of the main activities carried out as part of the project. The presentation on 9 October will therefore bring together the two people responsible for the exhibition and guide the public through the contents collected in the volume.
The catalogue concerns an exhibition that retraces Barrese's research, founder and driving force behind Gruppo MID – Mutamento Immagine Dimensione – and, since the 1960s, a leading figure in a journey in which artistic experimentation, science and technology intertwine.
At the heart of the exhibition is light, studied as a formal and conceptual material. The exhibition also presents it as an element capable of generating and transforming space. The itinerary includes images and interactive works, with a selection of historical and recent works produced over a span of sixty years, from 1965 to 2025.
The installation also invites visitors to engage with the works and explore the possibilities of light as a language and form of expression. The exhibition project is therefore not limited to a succession of works: it also includes materials and activities gathered in the publication presented during the conference.
The curatorial work of Stefania Gaudiosi accompanies this reconstruction of Barrese's research, while the catalogue adds specific documentation on the exhibition itinerary and the main initiatives carried out by the Foundation. The conference on 9 October is the calendar event devoted to presenting this volume.
The exhibition is held under the patronage and with the support of Regione Lombardia, and under the patronage of Comune di Varese. The exhibition continues at Fondazione Marcello Morandini until 20 December 2026, with historical and recent works spanning the period from 1965 to 2025.
Key points
Saturday 24 October at 15.30, the October calendar of Fondazione Marcello Morandini will conclude with the «Kids Lab». The workshop is aimed at girls and boys aged 3 to 10 and seeks to bring young people closer to art through play, experimentation and creativity.
This event completes the part of the program dedicated to children. The guided tour on 3 October is reserved for children aged 6 and over, while the workshop on 24 October is aimed at a broader age range, from 3 to 10 years. The two activities are therefore distinct in terms of age and approach: the first accompanies participants in discovering the works and themes of the exhibition, while the second uses play, experimentation and creativity to bring young people closer to art.
The venue and opening hours
Fondazione Marcello Morandini is located at via Francesco Del Cairo 41 in Varese. The museum is open on Thursdays from 15 to 18 and from Friday to Sunday from 10 to 13 and from 14 to 18.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Thursday | 15-18 |
| Friday to Sunday | 10-13 and 14-18 |
The venue at via Del Cairo hosts the exhibition «Antonio Barrese: Morfologie di luce», which will remain open to visitors until 20 December 2026. The month’s calendar concludes with the workshop on 24 October, following the children’s tour, the concert in the «Sintonie» season and the conference presenting the catalog.
Information about the exhibition, events and tickets is available on the website www.fondazionemarcellomorandini.com. The October program takes place within the exhibition curated by Stefania Gaudiosi, held under the patronage and with the contribution of Regione Lombardia and under the patronage of the Comune di Varese.
The «Kids Lab» is the final date listed for the month. With this activity, Fondazione proposes an event specifically dedicated to girls and boys, keeping the program connected to the themes of the exhibition and to the possibilities of light as a language and form of expression.
Source: varesenews.it
Frequently Asked Questions
- What cultural events does Fondazione Morandini offer in ottobre 2026?
- The Marcello Morandini Foundation in Varese has organized four events for October 2026 as part of the exhibition "Antonio Barrese: Morphologies of Light." The program includes a guided tour for children on October 3rd at 3:30 pm, a concert on October 4th at 11:00 am, a conference with catalog presentation on October 9th at 6:30 pm, and a creative workshop for children on October 24th at 3:30 pm. The exhibition will remain open until December 20, 2026.
- Who will lead the children's visit on 3 ottobre and who is it intended for?
- The guided tour on October 3rd, at 3:30 pm, is reserved for children aged 6 and up. It will be led by Antonio Barrese, the artist behind the "Morphologies of Light" exhibition, and curator Stefania Gaudiosi. The aim is to guide younger visitors through the exhibition's works and themes, stimulating their curiosity and creativity through a dedicated tour.
- Which musicians will perform at the concert on 4 ottobre and which pieces will be performed?
- The concert, which will take place on Sunday, October 4th at 11:00 a.m., will feature four double bassists from the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala in Milan: Omar Lonati, Giorgio Magistroni, Claudio Nicotra, and Alessandro Serra. The musical program will include compositions by Giuseppe Verdi, Georges Bizet, and Carlo Galante. Galante will be present to introduce the concert and perform one of his compositions, a world premiere.
- What will be presented during the conference on October 9?
- On Friday, October 9th, at 6:30 PM, the Marcello Morandini Foundation will host a conference with Antonio Barrese and Stefania Gaudiosi, curator of the exhibition. During the conference, the exhibition catalog "Antonio Barrese: Morfologies of Light" will be presented. This volume, the Foundation's first catalog edited directly by the artist, serves as an archival document and a critical tool for further exploration of the artist's research.
- Until when will it be possible to visit the exhibition «Antonio Barrese: Morphologies of Light»?
- The exhibition "Antonio Barrese: Morphologies of Light," curated by Stefania Gaudiosi and dedicated to the artist's exploration of art, science, and design, will be open to the public at the Marcello Morandini Foundation on Via Del Cairo in Varese until December 20, 2026. The exhibition features historic and recent works created between 1965 and 2025, inviting visitors to interact with light as a language and expression.