The new venue, PM23, aims to celebrate beauty and culture with exhibitions, workshops, and events, opening in May 2025.
Valentino Garavani and his longtime partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, are set to further their commitment to beauty and culture with the launch of PM23, a new venue in Rome dedicated to the initiatives of the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti. The opening is anticipated for May 2025, with plans for an inaugural exhibition honoring the legacies of both creators.
Located at Piazza Mignanelli 23, adjacent to the Valentino fashion house, the space occupies a historic late Renaissance palace known as Palazzo Gabrielli Mignanelli, built circa 1575, which is in proximity to the famous Spanish Steps. Giammetti revealed to Women’s Wear Daily that the phrase “I love beauty, it’s not my fault,” originally stated by Garavani in the 2008 documentary “The Last Emperor,” will be a focal point of the venue, symbolizing the foundation’s mission. “Beauty creates beauty is the guiding principle of the Fondazione,” Giammetti stated, highlighting the venue’s dedication to cultural activities, including exhibitions, events, and workshops promoting beauty.
After extensive restoration efforts spanning a year, PM23 will serve as the center of the foundation’s cultural endeavors, which has claimed 10,800 square feet of space. Giammetti described it as the “beating heart of the cultural activities of the Fondazione” and referred to it as a “veritable museum of art and fashion.”
The foundation, established in 2016 with a philanthropic mission, aims to operate under three primary pillars: support for social and philanthropic initiatives, enhancement of the arts and culture, and education and backing for artistic talents. Giammetti expressed the foundation’s goal to host two exhibitions annually while dedicating three months to workshops and contests aimed at helping young artists find their voice, alongside providing scholarships.
The inaugural exhibition will be curated by Anna Coliva, previously the director of Galleria Borghese, and Pamela Golbin, the former head of the Department of Fashion and Textiles at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Giammetti emphasized that the aim is to combine fashion with contemporary art: “to make PM23 a destination for an international public and a point of reference for creativity and emerging talent.”
He also emphasized that curating an exhibition goes beyond merely displaying beautiful objects; it must have depth and connection between fashion and art. Giammetti referenced artist Francis Picabia, stating, “If you want to have clean ideas change them as often as your shirts,” indicating the foundation’s willingness to explore unexpected exhibitions.
The Fondazione operates on a self-funding model, affording it the flexibility to choose its guests, artists, and decision-making processes, which Giammetti notes is crucial to their vision. As vice president of the foundation, Giammetti confirmed that they have curated their own collection over the years, planning to display personal masterpieces at PM23.
Collaborative projects from the foundation include support for hospitals like Bambin Gesù and Policlinico Gemelli in Rome, contributing to initiatives that aid families in financial hardship and protecting cultural institutions such as the Valentino Garavani theater in Voghera. In 2020, the foundation made headlines with a donation of 1 million euros to support the Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli hospital’s COVID-19 unit. Additionally, in 2019, the foundation provided funding to the CFDA’s Fashion Manufacturing Initiative, aimed at linking emerging American designers with production resources.
As the PM23 venue prepares for its debut, it is poised to be an influential hub for the arts, embodying Valentino Garavani’s and Giancarlo Giammetti’s vision of beauty and cultural enrichment.
Source: Noah Wire Services
