Emilio Mazzoli

The "Galleria Mazzoli", founded in Modena in 1977, was the seedbed of the Transavanguardia. It was with Emilio Mazzoli, in fact, that Sandro Chia, Enzo Cucchi, Francesco Clemente, Nicola De Maria and Mimmo Paladino made their mark. The gallerist was also the first in Italy to stage, in 1981, a solo exhibition of Jean-Michel Basquiat—a show that at first met with little success. He later welcomed Gino De Dominicis, Tano Festa, Mario Schifano, Alighiero Boetti, Mimmo Rotella and Carla Accardi, as well as international artists such as Malcolm Morley, Ross Bleckner, Robert Longo, Alex Katz, David Salle, Mark Innerst and William Anastasi. Unlike many gallerists, who work chiefly on consignment—not buying works and returning what goes unsold—Mazzoli has always bought the artworks he goes on to sell.