In the presence of Ambassador Gianclemente De Felice and the Director General of the Slovak National Museum, Anton Bittner, the exhibition “Vespa. A Made in Italy legend” opened on March 12. Hosted at the Bratislava Castle, one of the most representative buildings in the Slovak capital, the exhibition traces the history of an undisputed Made in Italy icon.
Starting from vintage models, such as Vespa 125 cc from 1951, linked to the immortal memory of the film Roman Holiday, and Vespa 98 cc, the first ever produced by Piaggio, the exhibition hosts a representative selection of historic models, from the Fumagalli Collection, accompanied by original advertising and film posters of the time. The exhibition is also enriched by works of art created by two central artists of the Italian 20th century, Mimmo Rotella and Maurizio Galimberti.
Thanks to loans from Vespa Klub Slovakia and Vespa Košice, the exhibition also focuses on the most recent past, with the presence of some of the most representative models of recent years. On the occasion of the opening of the exhibition, members of Vespa Klub Slovakia were exceptionally allowed to enter the courtyard of the Castle with their Vespa, for an unexpected and lively motorcycle rally.
The initiative is to be seen in the framework of the intense cultural relations between Italy and Slovakia. It enjoys the patronage of the Mayor of Bratislava, Matúš Vallo, and is part of the “Dolce Vitaj” Festival, dedicated to the story and enhancement of our cultural excellence, which is now in its eighteenth edition.
The exhibition will remain open to the public until May 12.
Credit: Rudolf Baranovič
