The Museum of Art Pudong (MAP) in Shanghai has announced "Giorgio Morandi. Solo," the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Giorgio Morandi in the 21st century, opening June 17 and running through October 2026. Presented with the Museo Morandi in Bologna, the show brings together over 200 works from 39 institutions and private collections worldwide, including more than 140 original artworks by the Italian painter, with over 120 shown in China for the first time. Highlights include Morandi's only known seascape, one of seven self-portraits, a never-before-exhibited portrait of his sister, and his personal star-wheel etching press on loan from descendants of his friend Francesco Bagnaresi.
This exhibition matters because it challenges the narrow perception of Morandi as merely a painter of bottles and jars, presenting his full creative range across still lifes, landscapes, portraits, flowers, and metaphysical works. By displaying studio objects alongside the paintings they inspired, and including rare photographs, documents, and two video installations by contemporary artist Tacita Dean, the show underscores Morandi's enduring influence on art, design, and contemporary practice. It offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the breadth of his legacy in Asia.