Before it Happens — International Photography Exhibition

Before it Happens: photography that anticipates the present

From June 13 to July 26, 2026, Palazzo Re Rebaudengo in Guarene, located in the province of Cuneo in the heart of the Piedmontese Roero, becomes the stage for Before it Happens, one of the most ambitious photography exhibitions of the summer. The exhibition is promoted by the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in collaboration with the Municipality of Guarene and is curated by Filippo Maggia, one of Italy's leading experts in contemporary photography.

The exhibition was created to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the invention of photography and reflects on the power of images to anticipate and reveal the tensions of our time before they even erupt. Hence the title: before it happens.

Eight perspectives from the Global South

The exhibition brings together eight international artists, primarily from South Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Through photography, video, and installation, their works map out the great contemporary issues: inequalities in the Global South, migration processes, the ecological crisis, gender discrimination, colonial legacies, and the forms of resistance, solidarity, and political imagination within communities.

Palazzo Re Rebaudengo, an 18th-century gem overlooking the Roero

The venue is a treasure: an 18th-century historic palace, restored and transformed into an exhibition space, which has hosted the Foundation's activities in Guarene since 1997. Visiting it means combining contemporary art with the panoramic views of the Roero hills, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Next to the palace lies the San Licerio Art Park, an open-air trail dotted with permanent works that engage with the landscape.

During the inauguration, two new permanent works by Mario Airò and Susan Philipsz will be unveiled in the park, further enriching the Foundation's outdoor collection.

A free event for Piedmont

Supported by the European Union as part of NextGenerationEU, the exhibition confirms Guarene as a hub for contemporary art in Piedmont, capable of bringing a global dialogue to this small town in the Cuneo area. Admission is free and the exhibition is open every weekend.