London gallery Herald St opens in Bologna
It is the first space outside the UK, will open in early 2026 with an exhibition by Matt Connors and intends to participate in Arte Fiera
Key points
Italy is becoming increasingly attractive for the international contemporary art world. After numerous announcements of new galleries, especially in Milan, now the centre of attention is Bologna, where the London gallery Herald St is coming. At the beginning of 2026, when the city lights up for Arte Fiera, the gallery, which this year celebrates 20 years and in London has two spaces, one in Bethnal Green, in the East, and one in the centre, in Bloomsbury, will open its first exhibition space outside the UK on the ground floor of a historic building in the medieval heart of the city (Via Valdonica 14), on a 100 square metre area. The first exhibition will be a solo show of new works on paper and paintings on canvas by Chicago-based artist Matt Connors, born in 1973, based in New York, the artist's fifth solo show with the gallery (prices from $15,000).
"Bologna has always fascinated us," the gallery's co-founder, Nicky Verber, told Arteconomy, "we consider it a lively cultural place, deeply connected to artists such as Giorgio Morandi and Luigi Ghirri. Back in 2020, we organised a group exhibition during Arte Fiera, thinking that it would be stimulating to gain visibility. The exhibition brought together long-standing gallery artists such as Michael Dean, Pablo Bronstein and Nicole Wermers with Italian artists, including Carla Accardi, Patrizio di Massimo and Sagg Napoli. The region of which Bologna is a part historically boasts a strong collector base and many nearby Italian cities, such as Rome, Naples, Milan and Turin, are home to extraordinary collections and institutions".
The Brexit did not directly motivate the gallery's decision to open in Italy: "however, having a presence in Europe certainly helps with some of the taxation and shipping formalities that have arisen as a result of Brexit," commented the gallery owner. Also regarding the benefits of the recent lowering of the VAT rate to 5%, the gallery owner stated that: "plans to open in Italy predate the announcement of the VAT reduction, but it is certainly welcome news".
The Presence
After the first exhibition in Bologna in 2020, Herald St started in 2021 to work with the Rwandan-born, Bologna-based artist Francis Offman, who is also represented by another Bologna-based gallery, P420. In 2024 there was an exhibition of another gallery artist, Pablo Bronstein, at Garage Bentivoglio and last year the first participation in Arte Fiera. Next February, the gallery intends to return to the fair with a group show of artists from its programme, which includes a total of 28 names, together with recent works by Lucia Di Luciano, a Sicilian artist based in Rome to whom the gallery has dedicated a double exhibition in its two London venues (pictured) and the over-90-year-old artist's first in the UK with works from nearly 70 years (until 8 November). In addition, an exhibition by Francis Offman is planned in London. "Bologna is a city we have come to know closely over the years through numerous visits and dialogues," said Nicky Verber. "Herald St Bologna will make a dynamic contribution to the fervid local cultural ecosystem, which includes important public museums such as MAMbo, private institutions such as Fondazione MAST and Palazzo Bentivoglio, as well as an exciting and growing network of galleries and collectors of different generations. Strategically located a short train ride from Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome and Turin, Bologna offers us the opportunity to deepen our relationships with local curators, institutions and collectors, while connecting with new audiences across the region."
Bologna and its heritage
Bologna, once central to contemporary art when Arte Fiera attracted international galleries, remains a city 'renowned for its cultural, artistic and culinary heritage,' reads the gallery statement, 'and for its vibrant academic community, home to one of the oldest universities in the world. From the masters of painting such as Lavinia Fontana, the Carracci family, Guercino, Elisabetta Sirani and Giorgio Morandi, to radical thinkers including Pier Paolo Pasolini and Franco'Bifo' Berardi, Bologna has long been a centre for prominent intellectuals. It is also closely linked to the history of modern design through figures such as the lateDino Gavina, co-founder of Flos and industrial visionary. The city and its surroundings recur in many of Luigi Ghirri's iconic photographic series, while the wider area retains strong cinematic associations with directors such as Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni"
