From February 26 to June 22, 2025, Palazzo Reale in Milan (Piazza del Duomo, 12) will host "Io sono Leonor Fini", one of the most significant and comprehensive retrospectives ever dedicated to the painter, set designer, costume designer, writer, and illustrator Leonor Fini, a key figure of the 20th century.
The exhibition offers an immersive journey into the visionary and rebellious world of the Italo-Argentinian artist, presenting a path through approximately 100 works–including 70 paintings, drawings, photographs, costumes, books, and videos–and providing an in-depth contemporary reinterpretation of her extensive body of work. A leading figure in the European cultural scene from the 1930s to the late 20th century, Fini developed a dreamlike visual language that remains unique even within the Surrealist movement.
As a Partner, NABA will curate the exhibition’s Public Programme, shaping a schedule of events exploring themes of fashion, costume, design, and art.
The exhibition’s Public Programme curated by NABA
The Public Programme of the exhibition curated by NABA explores Leonor Fini’s presence in everyday life. Following the opening, it will feature four public talks at Palazzo Reale and NABA’s Milan Campus (Via C. Darwin 20), moderated by Clara Tosi Pamphili (MA in Fashion and Costume Design Course Leader and Fashion Heritage Advisor), focusing on fashion, costume, design, and art. With the contribution of industry experts and key figures, these meetings will offer an in-depth look at the multifaceted nature of Leonor Fini.
On March 20, the first talk, “Il corpo sognato”, will examine the artist’s image as a contemporary figure without a true defined identity. Lorenzo Seghezzi (Alumnus, NABA Lecturer, and Fashion Designer), Riccardo Scaburri (Creative Director, Alumnus, and NABA Lecturer), and Jonathan Bazzi (Writer) will discuss contemporary physical identity, assessing how much of Leonor Fini’s artistic boldness has shaped today’s freedom of expression. The talk will also explore how fashion and literature can weave new narratives and experiences, where garments are worn as characters rather than as mere clothing.
On April 3, “La forma di Leonor” will take place, the second talk exploring the artist’s engagement with an intellectual aristocracy, tracing her Triestine origins, and examining the elegance of decoration in design. With Maria Vittoria Baravelli (art curator), Gentucca Bini, and Arthur Arbesser (both designers and NABA lecturers), and drawing inspiration from Milan Design Week, the discussion will focus on shapes and form, Leonor Fini’s transgression within the domestic sphere, and her existentialist elegance that shaped an international environment around her figure.
On May 15, “Né abiti né costumi” will delve into costume and the dress of the diva as a style icon, featuring Gianluca Sbicca and Carlo Poggioli (internationally experienced theatre and film costume designers). Experts in the needs and whims of a diva, they will also explore her intrinsic value and the challenge of creating the perfect costume.
The programme will conclude on June 12 with a talk at NABA’s Milan Campus, “Les muses insoumises: Leonor Fini e le artiste surrealiste”, featuring a discussion between curator Marco Scotini, Tiziana Villani(writer), Elvira Vannini (art historian), and Antonella Huber (scholar of museology and museography). The event will be accompanied by reading groups, set displays, and artistic and performative interventions developed by students from the Department of Visual Arts. The talk will explore how Leonor Fini refused to officially join the Surrealist group, rejecting André Breton’s traditional view of women.