Galleria Raffaella Cortese Gallery in Milan

Editorial Profile

Founded in 1995 with a solo exhibition dedicated to conceptual photographer Franco Vimercati, Galleria Raffaella Cortese has established itself as one of the most distinctive and principled commercial galleries within contemporary art in Milan. Operating across four interconnected spaces on Via A. Stradella in the Venezia district — each with its own architectural character rooted in Milanese design rather than the neutral logic of the white cube — the gallery represents a transgenerational roster of approximately thirty international artists working across photography, installation, video, and performance. A defining thread throughout its program has been the sustained commitment to women artists: among the first galleries in Milan to introduce pioneering American women artists to the Italian scene in the 1990s, Raffaella Cortese has consistently foregrounded practices that engage with feminism, bodily politics, language, and questions of identity across cultural geographies.

The curatorial direction favors depth over volume, building long-term relationships with artists whose work addresses critical and often politically resonant themes. The program includes figures such as Joan Jonas, Kiki Smith, Roni Horn, Zoe Leonard, Monica Bonvicini, and Anna Maria Maiolino, alongside Italian artists including Francesco Arena and Marcello Maloberti. The gallery participates regularly in Art Basel — both in Basel and Paris — as well as Artissima and Miart, reflecting a confident international positioning. Since 2022, a satellite space in Albisola Superiore on the Ligurian coast extends the program with site-specific commissions and a more contemplative pace. An in-house library open to researchers and students further underscores the gallery's commitment to knowledge production and critical engagement beyond the commercial dimension.