“Artistic pathways. Heteny and Francini between Europe and Brazil”

Curated by Giovanna Grossato, the exhibition will be open until December 6, 2025, with special openings on November 25 and 30 during the traditional Santa Caterina Fair.

The works on display offer a rare overview of their artistic careers—independent, yet deeply intertwined—reflecting both the influences of the European avant-garde and the originality developed through dialogue with the vibrant cultural environments of South America. An interweaving of languages, colors, and sensibilities that gives rise to an authentic intercultural dialogue.

A hidden heritage that has come to light thanks to the efforts of their children, Lando Francini – actor and theater set designer – and Marina Hetenyi Francini. The entire corpus of family works, preserved for decades in Barbarano and largely unpublished, is now being presented to the public. This is a valuable opportunity to rediscover two prominent figures in 20th-century painting, who have already been featured in exhibitions in Latin America and Europe and won international awards between the 1950s and 1970s. The exhibition is part of the ‘Novembre Culturale di Barbarano Mossano’ program, a series of events dedicated to promoting and spreading culture in the area.

The 2025 edition is also dedicated to the recently deceased Lando Francini, in a heartfelt tribute to his artistic and personal legacy.

The Councilor for Culture, Michela Nardon, states:
“Year after year, Cultural November returns with new content to offer the public new stimuli and paths of knowledge, with the aim of creating and spreading culture in every place and for every age group.
This year’s edition draws inspiration from a figure who left a deep mark on our territory and whom we wish to remember with affection: Lando Francini, theater actor, multifaceted artist, and set designer, whose inexhaustible creativity was an expression of a family entirely devoted to art.

To celebrate Lando and his precious legacy, we wanted to present an exhibition of paintings by his parents, Mauro Francini and Clara Heteny, an exhibition conceived by Marina Hetenyi Francini, which represents a journey into the creative world of the Francini family: a heartfelt tribute to an artistic heritage that continues to live on through their works. An opportunity to remember, celebrate, and enhance the cultural heritage that surrounds us.