The agency's work was acquired by Intesa Sanpaolo in 2015, and in May 2022 the bank inaugurated the 'Gallerie d'Italia' in Turin in its historic headquarters, an exhibition space dedicated entirely to the medium of photography and its cultural promotion. The collection, entitled The Publifoto Archive, - brings together a selection of around 7 million photographs, covering numerous aspects of social life between the 1930s and the 1980s. The digitised photographs are all accessible and visible through the interactive installation Archivio Vivo – a contemporary approach for a profound appreciation of the photographic heritage.
Pino Musi. The Publifoto Archive Intesa Sanpaolo
The ‘Gallerie d’Italia’ in Turin is a 10,000 square meters iconic historical building transformed by Michele De Lucchi AMDL Circle into a public venue with various missions : to offer to the audience an extensive programme of temporary exhibitions of photography, to reveal to the public the narrative potential of photography as a medium through an immersive experience and the usage of cutting-edge technology.
Una Fiat 500 B in via Montenapoleone a Milano, 11 luglio 1948 - Archivio Publifoto Intesa Sanpaolo
The bank puts an emphasis on the conservation and restoration of its archives, an activity rooted in the history of the agency, which in 1943, during the Second World War, saw its headquarters bombed.
Domenico Modugno festeggia la vittoria al Festival di Sanremo, gennaio 1959 (fotografia di Nicola Giordano) Archivio Publifoto Intesa Sanpaolo - Archivio Publifoto Intesa Sanpaolo
Here, the public can (re)immerse themselves in thousands of events in contemporary Italian history, from floods to football matches between Milan and Naples, and backstage shots at La Scala. Among the photographers whose work is archived are Fedele Toscani, Tino Petrelli, Peppino Giovi and Carlo Ancillotti.
The recent opening of the museums of Turin and Naples with the expansion of the Bank’s museums’ headquarters in Milan and Vicenza indicates its increasing engagement in promoting Italian cultural heritage on the local and international scenes. By focusing on the issues of environmental, social and economic sustainability, the choice of future themes of exhibition projects highlights the Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s commitment to the field of ESG (Environment, Social and Governance).
Pino Musi. The Publifoto Archive Intesa Sanpaolo
Opening hours for a visit:
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday : 9.30 a.m. - 7.30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9.30 a.m. - 10.30 p.m.
Closed on Monday
Piazza San Carlo, 156
10121 Turin
Cover image: Mina in platea durante le prove al Festival di Sanremo, gennaio-febbraio 1961 (fotografia di Franco Gremignani) - Archivio Publifoto Intesa Sanpaolo
