On April 20th 2026, the Archivorum Library hosted its first workshop with the Master’s Degree class in Museology of Contemporary Art from Accademia Albertina in Turin, led by professor and curator Orietta Brombin.
The day began with a guided visit to Galleria Franco Noero and the exhibition Pensieri Belli by Gabriel Sierra. Students explored the gallery’s transformation from an industrial garage into a contemporary white cube, while engaging with Sierra’s work as a reflection on memory and material traces of the past. Elements such as old bicycles, objects from the Fiat world, and references to primary sectors like fruits and vegetables – central to the identity of Turin and the Piedmont region -were woven into a sculptural and conceptual narrative.
The group then moved to the library, where they were introduced to the Archivorum project. For the workshop, Archivorum was presented as a living museum: a space where each book functions as an exhibition, unfolding an artist’s vision, practice, or concept.
Students approached the collection through a curatorial lens, building connections starting from artists studied in previous lessons, including Thomas Demand, Bruna Esposito, James Lee Byars, Tony Cragg, Mona Hatoum, Piero Manzoni, Paola Pivi, Marina Abramović and Ulay, and Giuseppe Penone.
Working in groups, they selected constellations of books and developed a fil rouge, identifying new artistic references and research directions. Each group produced a short curatorial statement, treating the chosen books as artworks within a collective exhibition.
The workshop concluded with the creation of a small publication, conceived as the exhibition catalogue. Combining selected images, curatorial texts, and conceptual frameworks, the publication became a portable museum.
The students were deeply engaged, curious, and enthusiastic in exploring the collection — so much so that it was difficult to bring the session to a close!
