Cosenza and contemporary art

Known to most as the "City of the Bruzi", in honour of its archaeological past, Cosenza is also an important centre of contemporary art in Calabria to be visited by means of an urban trek that leads from the historical centre to the main contemporary venues.

Let's discover together the unseen face of the provincial capital, which from the BoCs Art project to the signature of archistar Santiago Calatrava boasts several works that have left their mark.

The languages of contemporary art in Cosenza are declined in heterogeneous ways: from painting to sculpture, from photography to video art, from installations to performances and open-air museums that narrate our time.

To discover how ancient meets contemporary in the city, simply visit the Multimedia Museum of Villa Rendano and the permanent installation "Cosentia Itinera", which in 7 multimedia rooms traces the history of Cosenza through myths, legends, art, events and identity.

A fascinating storytelling supported by the use of digital technologies, such as virtual reality visors, immersive projections, animations and sound suggestions.

Another must-see stop on an urban trek through contemporary Cosenza is the monumental Calatrava Bridge.

Designed by international archistar Santiago Calatrava, this 103-metre-long steel and concrete bridge supported by a 104-metre-high steel antenna connects the two banks of the river Crati, i.e. the city centre to a suburban area.

The inclined antenna recalls the shape of a giant harp, a true urban landmark recognisable from a great distance.

The walk in the sign of contemporary art inevitably passes through Corso Mazzini, the city's "drawing room".

Here, in the centre of the pedestrian shopping area, there are numerous contemporary sculptures from the MAB - Museo all'Aperto Bilotti. Born in 2006 from a donation by Carlo Bilotti to the city of Cosenza, the open-air museum is a succession of sculptures from the 20th century to the present day, both originals and copies, tracing the work of some of the greatest artists of international contemporary art: Sacha Sosno's Bronzes, Emilio Greco's Great Bather, Salvador Dali's St. George and the Dragon, Giorgio de Chirico's Hector and Andromache, Giacomo Manzù's The Cardinal, four Paracarri and the Bifrontale by Pietro Consagra and Mimmo Rotella's Wolf of the Sila, to name but a few.

At the end of the route, in Piazza Bilotti, it is possible to access the underground of the square itself to visit another original exhibition site, the Multimedia Museum City of Cosenza.

Another immersive and multisensory space that, through digital and experiential solutions, such as high-definition holograms, makes it possible to visualise historical-artistic materials related to the city and enjoy the most important virtual temporary exhibitions that tour the world and Italy.

In the historic centre, the dedicated space for Cosenza's contemporary art par excellence is the BoCs Art Museum, housed in the rooms of the Monumental Complex of San Domenico, at the confluence of the two rivers.

It is a permanent exhibition of the works resulting from a multi-year series of artistic residencies held at the BoCs Art, the little wooden houses (boxes) on the riverfront for artists of international renown and origin who have come to Cosenza over the years.

The space of the BoCs Museum offers the opportunity to admire the works created during 14 residency sessions by some 230 artists who have donated a substantial collection to the city of Cosenza.