Despite some concerns about going to art exhibitions in this tenuous period in our lives, I decided to call a friend and go check out the shows running in Trieste.

First of all, the safety precautions in place are quite rigorous and reassuring. Sure, every now and then you’ll encouter a “maskhole” — that jerk that wears their mask below their nose or around their neck, flaunting clearly stated rules — but overall, people are careful and respectful.

The first stop was the exhibit at Miramare’s Scuderie – the location of the old stables, now a modern and well-planned exhibition space – to see Marcello Dudovich’s photographs and posters.

Let me just say that the overall quality of the exhibits and their presentation has improved remarkably (as has the condition of the grounds and structures at Miramare) over the last few years.

The exhibit is amazing in its scope and breadth. I wasn’t expecting the sheer quantity of materials gathered from museums, organizations and private collections.

The combination of personal photographs, sketches and final products really help trace the artistic as well as personal journey of this giant of the cartonellismo era. It also showcases the sumptuous and luxurious lifestyle of a small priviledged class, and how that created the aspirational posters Dudovich produced in a lifetime that spanned from 1878 to 1962…a lifetime that saw revolutions in every facet of society, industry, science and life.

A very small but interesting corner of the exhibit shows his curiosity of rural life, farmworkers, and exploration of the “exotic” with photos and drawings of people and locales he encountered in Libya. Definitely a must-see!

Fee: 6 Euros

The second exhibit I went to see was CYBORN at the Salone degli Incanti. This is an exhibit in conjunction with the recently wrapped up ESOF Science festival, exploring artificial intellegence and the evolution of medicine. To really grasp the content of the exhibit, one must take the time to stop and listen at each presentation station.

There is a lot of interactive content to break up the more detailed scientific pieces, so there are some fun elements depicting “deep fakes”, robotic prosthetics and more.

For someone like me who has seen the insides of MRI machines more often than I’d like, it is fascinating to understand the history, evolution and mechanics of imaging.

Fee: 7 Euros

Finally IRCI’s MODIANO exhibit: Sadly the rest of the museum is closed off due to Covid-19 restrictions. Personally, I have seen most of the pieces in this exhibit in other iterations, but the graphic design and its use in the Modiano story are always fascinating and impressive. Also Modiano is a brand that has spanned our granparents’, parents’ and our generation so that it is immediately recognizable and tied to many memories for many of us.

Fee: Free (although I would suggest making a donation at the reception desk)