Palazzina Liberty -- Hidden Art Gallery

The Palazzina Liberty has -- at least during all of the months of the summer season -- ongoing art exhibitions. You'll see the posters pasted and pinned around Stresa, on windows, bars, and in the supermarket; but have you ever stopped in to this small, slightly out-of-the-way gallery? You should; there's always something interesting to see. For example, now, until 26 August, the gallery is featuring a show of works by local painter Giacomo Schiari.

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The show is entitled "Nel Sogno di Psyche," and features approximately 50 works of the artist, distributed among the two rooms of the gallery and the entrance hall. Many of the paintings feature some view of the lake or the very distinguishable Borromean Islands in the background. I've included photos of a few of those here, as well as another example of his work.

Palazzina Liberty is located on via de Amicis, number 33. It is this large building shown below, located directly across from the water station in Stresa. Directly to the right of the building is the Stresa Convention Center (formerly Palazzo dei Congressi), the large modern glass building in the center of town.  In its previous life the Palazzina was the Stresa Kindergarten, but when new schools were built it began being used as a gallery space. At first glance Palazzina Liberty sometimes looks like an empty building, but if the gates are open, and if there are signs indicating a show, wander on in for a few minutes; there's always something interesting to see.