From Saturday 26th September to Wednesday 28th October 2026, the GAMeC CentroArteModerna in Pisa will dedicate a special exhibition to Nilvano Sbrana (1932–2016), a figure deeply linked to the city and its human and cultural history. The exhibition was born on the tenth anniversary of his death and unfolds as a choral tale: not only through documents, photographs, and archival materials, but above all thanks to the works of the artists who knew, esteemed, and accompanied him throughout his life.
Nilvano Sbrana was born in Pisa in 1932. His life spans decades of transformation of the city, from the post-war period to modernization, always maintaining a deep connection with the human and social fabric of the area. A figure not always discreet, but concrete and generous, Nilvano represents that Pisa made up of people who build, fix, support, without ever seeking only visibility. Many artists remember his strong but fundamental presence, his great availability, his ability to be there. Nilvano Sbrana passed away on October 12, 2016.
The exhibition is part of the celebrations for the gallery's 50th anniversary, a milestone that confirms the role of the GAMeC CentroArteModerna in PISA as one of the city's most significant private landmarks, a place of meeting, exchange, and growth for generations of artists, curators, and enthusiasts. In this context, the presence of the invited artists takes on a particular value: it is a testimony of friendship, closeness, and gratitude towards a reality that has been able to support and enhance the creativity of Pisa and beyond.
The exhibition is conceived, curated, and organized by Massimiliano Sbrana, son of the founders (Nilvano Sbrana, together with Fernanda Taccola), and builds a journey capable of conveying the most authentic and everyday dimension of Nilvano, intertwining family memory, city history, and artistic contributions.
The inauguration, scheduled for September 26, 2026 at 6:00 pm, will see the participation of Professor. Sandra Lucarelli and Rodolfo Baglioni, as well as the invited artists, will offer a testament to their friendship and gratitude towards Nilvano and the gallery, which for fifty years has been a fundamental cultural hub for the city, transforming the exhibition into a moment of community, shared memory, and affection and respect.
“Nilvano Sbrana. A Pisan Story” is an exhibition that talks about affections, work, daily dignity. A discreet and authentic tribute, built with the same impetus that has always characterized his way of being in the world, and which today is intertwined with the long and vital history of GAMeC CentroArteModerna in PISA, in its fiftieth year of activity.
Artists present: Sergio Andreozzi, Marcello Aprea, Franco Banti, Piero Bernardini, Fidio Bartalini, Romano Bartelloni, Silva Bartalucci, Luciano Borin, Renzo Bussotti, Michele Bracciotti, Daniela Carta, Graziella Castelli, Mimmo Corrado, Eugenio Contatore, Giorgio Fornaca, Uliano Martini, Mario Meucci, Roberta Nido, Anna Paglia, Antonio Pappalardo, Otto Pamio, Maria Teresa Pannunzio, Palma Pastore, Silvia Pierucci Sapio, Bruno Pollacci, Laura Ricci, Diva Severin, Claudio Semino, Anna Maria Taddei, Giuseppe Viviani, Alessandro Volpi.
Admission free.
Opening Hours: 10am-12:30am/4pm-6:30pm (weekdays); Special opening Sunday, September 27, 2026, 4pm-6:30pm. Closed Monday.
