Milano Art Gallery: A Contemporary Art Space in the Heart of Praiano

Praiano has always been the quiet, artistic soul of the Amalfi Coast — the village where painters and ceramicists came to work while the crowds gathered elsewhere. Now it has a space to match that reputation. Milano Art Gallery is the first venue in Praiano dedicated entirely to art: not just a place to look at work on a wall, but a living cultural hub where art, in the founders’ words, is something that can actually happen. If you are looking for a different, more soulful side of the coast, this contemporary art gallery in Praiano is it.

Orizzonte Praiano: A New Cultural Space

The gallery is home to a project called Orizzonte Praiano (“Praiano Horizon”), conceived as a place of culture and community rather than a simple showroom. Its aim is to give the coast something it increasingly lacks: a space where art is shown, discussed and made, and where the extraordinary creative energy of the Amalfi Coast is celebrated by the very people who live and work here. In a place where tourism can slowly erode local identity, Milano Art Gallery is a deliberate act of the opposite — a room kept open for culture.

The Founders: Ventura Milano & Marina Pane

Behind the gallery are two artists who also serve as its curators: Ventura Milano, whose luminous ceramics fill the shelves, and Marina Pane, a painter whose canvases give the rooms their colour. Their double role — makers and hosts — sets the tone of the place: personal, hands-on, and rooted in the craft traditions of Campania.

The Art on Show

The gallery opened its season with a collective exhibition dedicated to the Amalfi Coast as seen through the eyes of its local artists. Alongside Ventura Milano’s ceramics and Marina Pane’s paintings, the walls have carried work by Leonardo Scala, Gianmarco Puglia, Vincenzo Galani, Luigi Collina and Paolo Sandulli — the last a celebrated painter whose imagery has become part of the visual identity of the Costa d’Amalfi, and who presented the opening show. Reflecting on the artistic ferment that made this coast a magnet for creative minds in the 1950s, he framed the gallery’s opening as an act of hope: proof that these villages can still be places of culture, not only of tourism.

Currently on display within the artists’ collective is a selection of handmade jewellery by local makers, ranging across Mediterranean craft traditions and the deserts of Africa — small, wearable sculptures that reward a closer look.

Art You Can Take Part In: Workshops

What makes Milano Art Gallery unusual is that you can do more than look. The Orizzonte Praiano project runs a programme of participatory workshops — art as an experience, not a spectacle:

• InebriArte – Sip & Paint: a tasting of Campanian wines paired with a painting session — a journey through the senses and the territory.
• Painting Experience: led by painter Marina Pane, a workshop in “painting in movement” that blends meditation, breathing techniques and African-inspired dance as a way into the canvas.
• Moving into Art: guided sessions exploring movement in relation to the artworks, led by a certified Feldenkrais-method teacher.
• NPL meets Orizzonte Praiano: a workshop for children combining Nati per Leggere reading sessions with hands-on artistic experimentation.

Sessions are small, by reservation only, and resume in October.

Exhibitions Calendar

The gallery’s programme rolls through the autumn with a changing series of shows:

• Dionisiaca — the summer group show (Joseph Meo, Don, Tina Kotsoni, Almaluna, Leonardo Scala, Famille Nango, Roberto Grimani), on until 6 September.
• Icone della Natura — Milena Scarabello, Gianluca De Filippis, Daniele Esposito (12–27 September).
• Terramare Flow — Gianmarco Puglia and Leonardo Scala (28 September – 6 October).
• Bar Internazionale — Luigi Collina (7–21 October).
• Sperimentazioni — Antonio di Lieto (from 22 October).

Through the winter the programme expands with further cultural and community events. Dates may change — message the gallery to confirm what is on when you visit.

Visiting the Art Gallery in Praiano

• Where: Via Roma 32, Praiano, in the beautiful natural setting beneath the Torre Asciola.
• Open: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, or by appointment.
• Admission: free to visit the exhibitions; workshops are by booking.
• Info & bookings: by WhatsApp (details below).

Gallery: Inside Milano Art Gallery, Praiano

A look inside the space, its artworks, jewellery and events:

Make It Part of Your Praiano Day

A visit to the gallery pairs perfectly with the rest of the village. See our guide to the best things to do in Praiano, read the full Praiano travel guide, or discover the art and history of nearby Atrani and Ravello.

F.a.q (Frequently Asked Questions)