The Prada Foundation opened a new photography gallery space in December, the Osservatorio, on the uppermost fifth and sixth floors of one of Milan’s most famous landmarks, the elegant Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The first and current exhibit, Give Me Yesterday, which runs through March 12, explores 21st-century photography as a diary and documentary medium and contains more than 50 pieces by Italian and foreign photographers.
An indoor shopping arcade and one of the oldest shopping malls in the world near the Duomo, the Galleria is located near the Duomo and houses several upscale shops and cafés. Inaugurated in 1877, it was built by architect Giuseppe Mengoni and features two arcades covered by arched iron and glass roofs and a central, octagonal courtyard covered by a glass dome.
The 2,624-square-foot Osservatorio overlooks the iron and glass roof and dome as well as the space where Mario Prada opened the company’s first store in 1913. According to the Prada Foundation’s website, the space is “a place of exploration and investigation of contemporary photography trends and expressions.” Open daily. Admission is 10 euros.
By Kathy McCabe
