PANNEGGI
The Prato-based artist Chiara Bettazzi inaugurates the new exhibition season at Lottozero in Prato, Italy, with the exhibition Panneggi, a project that marks the beginning of a cycle dedicated to Soft Sculpture, the central theme of the center’s 2025-2026 program in art, design, and textile culture. Curated by Alessandra Tempesti, Panneggi presents a series of previously unseen photographs taken between 2022 and 2025, in which fabric becomes the central element. Bettazzi’s work moves beyond the realm of still life to approach the tableau vivant, establishing a refined dialogue between painting and sculpture. Fabric, once a mere scenographic element in her previous installations and sculptural compositions, now becomes an autonomous material, giving life to figures and poses that evoke the tradition of sacred painting. “In the artist’s hands, fabric becomes a compositional tool that shapes virtual figures, animated by a spiritual tension wrapped in its folds,” writes the curator.
Chiara Bettazzi’s artistic practice is distinguished by her use of reclaimed objects, often sourced from decommissioned industrial sites, which she assembles into site-specific installations and ephemeral structures, later immortalized in photographic works. Her process of composition and deconstruction transforms the language of objects into an exploration of memory, time, and the relationship between organic and inorganic materials. In 2015, she founded Tuscan Art Industry, a multidisciplinary project that investigates the region’s industrial archaeology through dialogue between architectural historians, environmental biologists, artists, and curators. Her work has received significant national recognition, with exhibitions at prestigious institutions such as the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome, the Centro Pecci in Prato, the Museo Galileo, and the Murate Art District in Florence. Her works are part of prominent public and private collections, including Castello di Ama, the Farnesina Collection, and the Museo di Santa Maria della Scala.
With Panneggi, a new chapter opens in Lottozero’s exhibition program, which for the 2025-2026 season is dedicated to exploring the expressive and conceptual possibilities of Soft Sculpture. Through solo and group exhibitions, artist residencies, and workshops, the Prato-based center aims to investigate the use of soft materials such as fabrics and fibers, expanding the traditional boundaries of sculpture. Located in the heart of one of Europe’s most important textile districts, Lottozero is an international creative hub with an open experimental laboratory, a co-working space, and an exhibition area. In addition to supporting artists and designers, the center operates as a consulting studio in the textile sector, promoting research, innovation, and networking on an international level.
The exhibition will be open to visitors until May 23. Lottozero welcomes the public from Monday to Friday, from 10 AM to 6 PM, while on Saturdays and Sundays, visits are by appointment. For further information, please contact the center at +39 0574 22883 or email info@lottozero.org.
