Bruce Gilden in Brescia: retrospective and site-specific installation

Bruce Gilden: retrospective and site-specific project in Brescia

From 27 March to 23 August 2026 the Museo di Santa Giulia hosts A closer look, the first major Italian retrospective dedicated to New York photographer Bruce Gilden (b. 1946), featuring a selection of 80 photographs. At the same time, the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo presents until 12 July 2026 the site-specific installation Grace / Grazia. Bruce Gilden per Raffaello, a diptych commissioned by the Fondazione Brescia Musei.

Curated by Denis Curti and produced in collaboration with Magnum Photos and the Fondazione Brescia Musei, the project is part of the Brescia Photo Festival program and continues the museum’s focus on major contemporary American photographers.

What to see

• A closer look: a chronological display starting from early black-and-white work (1968) and moving through series shot in Japan, Haiti, various European countries and, centrally, New York (1969–1995).
• Faces (2013–2024): portraits made with flash and extreme proximity, producing high-contrast images that capture intense expressions and details.
• Grace / Grazia: a contemporary reinterpretation of Raphael’s legacy, conceived after the loan of two masterpieces from the Pinacoteca to the MET in New York, and exploring the sacred as a human presence through frontal, zenithal-like lighting.
• Two accompanying films, including one by Magnum Photos and an in-depth interview published in the catalogue.

Why visit

The exhibition is a rare chance to experience both archival and recent works by one of street photography’s most recognizable voices, and to see how contemporary photography can converse with classical art through site-specific interpretation.

Practical information

Retrospective: Museo di Santa Giulia — 27 March–23 August 2026.
Site-specific installation: Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo — 27 March–12 July 2026.
Curator: Denis Curti; in collaboration with Magnum Photos and Fondazione Brescia Musei. Single catalogue published by Skira; the work will enter the permanent collection of the Musei Civici di Brescia.

For opening hours, ticketing and related events, consult the official museum and festival channels.