Italy’s spring arts calendar is blooming with thought-provoking exhibitions that invite travelers and art lovers to engage with surrealist dreams and the legacy of a contemporary master. This season’s spring art exhibitions in Italy, including compelling shows in Caorle and Brescia, offer cultural travelers a deeper reason to explore beyond the usual destinations. As the weather warms, so too does the country’s creative pulse—through storytelling, symbolism, and stunning visuals.
Surrealist Dreams by the Sea: Caorle’s “Surrealism and Fantasy”
Until August 31, 2025, the A. Bafile Cultural Center in Caorle (Venice area) hosts “Surrealism and the Fantastic: The Infinite Madness of Dreams.” Curated by art historian Matteo Vanzan, this exhibition draws a vibrant line from the 1920s to the present day. It showcases more than 60 works inspired by the birth of Surrealism, exploring the movement’s roots in Freud’s psychoanalysis and the deep well of the unconscious.
Artists on view range from the legendary—Salvador Dalí, Joan Mirò, André Masson, and Max Ernst—to key Italian figures like Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi, and Elena Prosdocimo. The exhibition is not chronological but rather conceptual, inviting viewers to consider the themes of dreams, memory, and the surreal as timeless tools of creative expression.
Caorle, known primarily for its seaside charm, is becoming a rising cultural destination. According to the Deputy Mayor Luca Antelmo, the Bafile Center is emerging as a hub for important exhibitions, having hosted shows on Andy Warhol and street art in recent years.
Exhibition dates: Through August 31, 2025
Address: A. Bafile Cultural Center, Caorle (VE)
Hours:
- April: 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–17:00
- May: 10:00–13:00 and 15:00–18:00
- June–August: 10:00–13:00 and 19:00–22:00 (last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Tickets: €10 full, €5 reduced, €6 residents, free for under 18s and press
More info: www.caorle.eu | www.mvarte.it
Erwin Olaf’s Cinematic World Comes to Brescia and Milan
From April 5 to September 30, 2025, Paci Contemporary Gallery in Brescia presents “In Memoriam: Erwin Olaf 1959–2023.” This exhibition honors the celebrated Dutch photographer, whose career spanned over four decades. It offers a deep dive into Olaf’s visual universe, where staged imagery meets sharp social critique.
Erwin Olaf worked in Amsterdam until his passing in 2023. He was known for centering marginalized voices—women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community. His richly stylized, often provocative images challenged norms and sparked dialogue. Early works like “Chessmen” (1988) confronted viewers. Later series such as “Hope” (2005), “Grief” (2007), and “Im Wald” (2020) offered poignant reflections on identity and solitude.
Curated with the Estate Erwin Olaf and the Foundation Erwin Olaf, the exhibition traces his creative evolution. Many of his staged photographs reflect a 1950s aesthetic and cinematic approach. Visitors will see Olaf’s signature use of light, composition, and mise-en-scène. His work often blurs the line between photography and film.
The exhibition also highlights his contributions beyond the art world. Olaf was the Dutch royal family’s portrait artist. He also designed the national side of the euro coin for King Willem-Alexander.
Exhibition dates: April 5 – September 30, 2025
Opening event: April 5 at 6:30 PM
Address: Paci Contemporary, Via G. Gramsci 61, Brescia
Website
Deep Beauty at MUDEC Photo, Milan
Running concurrently is “Deep Beauty,” hosted at MUDEC Photo in Milan from April 4 to May 25, 2025. Curated by Denis Curti, this group exhibition places Olaf’s work in dialogue with internationally acclaimed artists such as Cindy Sherman, Shirin Neshat, and Catherine Opie. This pairing of visual languages underscores Olaf’s enduring influence and places his legacy within the broader conversation of global contemporary photography.
Exhibition dates: April 4 – May 25, 2025
Address: MUDEC Photo, Via Tortona 56, Milan
Website: www.mudec.it
Why These Exhibitions Matter Now
Both exhibitions—one rooted in the fantastical legacy of Surrealism, the other in the cinematic realism of Erwin Olaf—offer visitors more than beautiful visuals. They prompt reflection on how we view identity, imagination, and memory. Whether you’re wandering through Caorle’s dreamlike galleries or standing before Olaf’s precise compositions in Brescia and Milan, these spring exhibitions remind us that art continues to question and connect across borders.
As travel returns in full force, spring art exhibitions in Italy offer the perfect cultural complement to the country’s famed landscapes and cuisine. Plan a spring itinerary that includes a stop in Venice’s coastal town of Caorle or the elegant cities of Brescia and Milan, where the past and present of visual storytelling come to life.
