L'Italo-Americano

tially mistaken her vibrant, high-energy recent paintings for the work of an art stu- dent. "I knew the early work, and I had been following it," Verber explained, "but it was only when I saw her recent work at my friend's apart- m e n t i n M i l a n , w h o i s a curator, and I said, 'Oh wow, what's that?' He said, 'Well, that's Lucia's.' I said, 'Really? I need to investigate this. T h i s i s i n c r e d i b l e . ' Y o u would think this was a young a r t i s t . " D i L u c i a n o f i r s t gained prominence in the 1960s as part of a generation of Italian artists exploring geometric, formal, and kinet- ic-optical systems. She was deeply linked with proto-dig- ital music pioneers, building a visual language based on mathematical systems. How- ever, as Verber explained, her career was a sixty-year revolution of "opening up." Her debut on the West Coast of America served as a reve- latory cross-section of this evolution. The booth show- c a s e d w o r k s f r o m 1 9 6 5 m strict, black-and-white for- malist systems, alongside pieces from 1981 and the gallery co-founded by Nicky V e r b e r a n d A s h L ' a n g e . While Herald St is a staple of t h e E a s t L o n d o n s c e n e , known for its sharp, concep- tually driven roster, they have recently solidified their own Italian connection by o p e n i n g a p e r m a n e n t gallery space in Bologna. This expansion was a strate- gic move to bridge the gap between the experimental energy of London and the historic, high-culture land- scape of Northern Italy. The Bologna space is a commit- ment to the European conti- n e n t , a f r e s h d i a l o g u e between their artists and a demographic of European collectors who value concep- tual rigor as much as aes- thetic beauty. The emotional heart of the Herald St pre- sentation was a tribute to the late Italian artist Lucia di Luciano. Born in Sicily and having spent the majority of her life in Rome, di Luciano p a s s e d a w a y i n J a n u a r y 2026 at the age of 93. Direc- tor Verber shared the incred- ible story of discovering her work in a curator's apart- ment in Milan. He had ini- astonishingly free, colorful works of 2024. The success of both FUMI a n d H e r a l d S t a t F O G Design+Art highlights the fair's unique synergy with the local community. The link to SFMOMA ensures t h a t t h e f a i r i s n o t j u s t a marketplace, but a cultural event that enriches the city's p u b l i c c o l l e c t i o n s . T h i s cross-pollination is exactly why London galleries find the West Coast so appealing. A s t h e 2 0 2 6 e d i t i o n o f FOG comes to a close, the L o n d o n - I t a l y - S F t r i a n g l e continues to expand. Both galleries are looking toward a packed spring season that s p a n s t h e g l o b e . G a l l e r y FUMI will return to their Mayfair: "Next stop is back home to London," they con- firmed. "Then in April, we'll c o m e b a c k t o t h e S t a t e s . We're coming to New York f o r a p o p - u p f o r t h r e e m o n t h s i n T r i b e c a . " T h i s p o p - u p w i l l f e a t u r e n e w inlaid works by the Italian master Francesco Perini and a duo show pairing Jeremy Anderson with Kustaa Saksi. Meanwhile, Herald St continues its glob- al circuit, oscillating between the cultural hubs of London and Bologna. Their presence a t t h e O G R ( O f f i c i n e Grandi Riparazioni) in Turin is a potential next step, further solidifying their grip on the Italian contemporary scene. For Verber, the goal remains to bring artists like Lucia di Luciano to the glob- al stage, ensuring that their revolutionary systems are never forgotten. Despite the thousands of miles between London, the porticos of Bologna, and the foggy piers of San Francisco, the mission remains unified. These galleries are not just s e l l i n g o b j e c t s ; t h e y a r e c u r a t e d e x p e r i e n c e s t h a t bridge continents. As the FUMI team put it while look- ing out over the Bay and as Verber's successful showing confirmed, they leave San Francisco with a smile. They have successfully bridged the gap between the Mediter- r a n e a n s o u l , t h e L o n d o n avant-garde, and the Califor- nia coast. and social energy of a dining room, their 2026 "imaginary room" was an intimate living space inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's legendary home in Santa Fe. The choice of O'Keeffe as a muse was a masterstroke of staging. By utilizing an enclosed booth layout and a color palette that mirrored the earthy, soulful ochres and dusty ter- racottas of the New Mexico desert, the gallery offered a masterclass in atmosphere. "San Francisco is always a great fair we look forward to coming to," Capo and Pratt s h a r e d d u r i n g t h e f a i r . " T h e r e i s a r e a l l y s t r o n g s e n s e o f c o m m u n i t y amongst the design and art community here. We always feel very welcome, and it's such a great fair because t h e y h a v e t h i s u n i q u e approach between design a n d a r t g a l l e r i e s . W e a r e showing next to really well- known and well-regarded art galleries, which makes it a very interesting conversa- tion." A short walk through the pavilion led to the booth of H e r a l d S t , t h e L o n d o n E very January, as t h e P a c i f i c f o g r o l l s p a s t t h e G o l d e n G a t e Bridge to settle around the historic, industri- al piers of the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, the global art world turns its attention toward San Fran- cisco. F O G D e s i g n + A r t has evolved from a regional boutique fair into the defini- tive kickoff for the interna- t i o n a l c u l t u r a l c a l e n d a r . More than just a commercial endeavor, FOG is linked to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Since its inception, the fair has served as a vital benefit for the museum's architec- t u r e a n d d e s i g n d e p a r t - ments, ensuring that the dia- l o g u e b e t w e e n t h e f a i r ' s innovative exhibitors and the city's premier institution remains seamless. This part- nership transforms the pavil- ion into an extension of the museum's mission, celebrat- i n g t h e b l u r r i n g l i n e s between functional objects and fine art. This year, the London contingent brought m o r e t h a n j u s t B r i t i s h sophistication; they arrived with a deep, refined Italian connection that anchored the fair's most talked-about presentations. Through the eyes of Gallery FUMI and H e r a l d S t , t h e 2 0 2 6 f a i r b e c a m e a v i t a l b r i d g e between the craftsmanship of the Mediterranean, the avant-garde energy of Lon- don, and the West Coast's collectors. I n s i d e t h e p a v i l i o n , Gallery FUMI, co-founded b y I t a l i a n - b o r n V a l e r i o Capo and his partner Sam Pratt, arrived fueled by the momentum of a very pro- ductive 2025. FUMI has long b e e n a t i t a n i n L o n d o n ' s Mayfair design scene, oper- ating out of their space with a philosophy they call "mate- rial alchemy." Their return to San Fran- cisco marked a shift in their decorative narrative: while t h e i r 2 0 2 5 p r e s e n t a t i o n focused on the communal Sam Pratt and Valerio Capo of FUMI Gallery (Photo courtesy of Tom Jamieson) The Architecture of Influence: bringing Italian soul to the 2026 FogFair Design+Art SERENA PERFETTO THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY

• Cover