From the Timeless Streets of Modena to the 2026 Venice Biennale

Part I — Modena

Although I am only in my third year as an art dealer, I spent many years as a passionate collector before turning that lifelong passion into my profession. Since then, I have made it a point to travel wherever my curiosity leads me, believing that every journey offers an opportunity to sharpen my eye for art.

This journey to Italy was inspired primarily by a desire to gain a deeper understanding of where contemporary art may be heading. At the same time, it also offered the perfect opportunity to indulge another lifelong passion of mine—automobiles.

In the end, it became a journey where what I love and what I do naturally came together.　　

When people think of Modena, motorsports are often the first thing that comes to mind. Yet the city is equally deserving of recognition as a treasure trove of UNESCO World Heritage. 

History is not preserved behind ropes or museum glass.

It quietly lives alongside everyday life.

Around the magnificent Modena Cathedral and Piazza Grande, people gather each evening beneath open-air terraces, sharing meals, conversations, and laughter. Here, the city's remarkable heritage is not something to be admired from afar, but something naturally woven into the rhythm of daily life.

Italy is home to more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in the world, and nowhere is that more tangible than in Modena. Simply walking through its streets, you find yourself encountering history at every turn.

Unlike Venice, where visitors often move quickly from one landmark to the next, Modena offers something increasingly rare. 

It is a city where a genuine sense of calm still remains. There is no pressure to "see everything." Instead, time seems to slow, allowing you to absorb centuries of history at your own pace.

That quiet luxury is something Venice, for all its magnificence, simply cannot offer.

Although this article focuses on Modena, what makes the city truly unforgettable is precisely what it is not. 

It has not surrendered itself entirely to tourism. Life continues here much as it always has, allowing visitors to experience Italy as it is genuinely lived.

If you ever find yourself choosing between the two, I wholeheartedly encourage you not to overlook Modena. I believe it will leave an even deeper impression than Venice itself.

One experience, in particular, remains impossible to capture through either photographs or words.

The doors of Modena Cathedral open at seven o'clock each morning. Stepping quietly inside, I felt as though I were sinking gently to the bottom of a still, deep lake—a silence so profound that it seemed to wash away the noise of everyday life. 

It was one of those rare moments that quietly reminds you of the gentler version of yourself.

Modena is equally celebrated as one of Italy's great culinary capitals.

Tasting locally produced 30-year DOP Traditional Balsamic Vinegar completely transformed my understanding of what balsamic vinegar could be. 

Any ordinary ✴︎notion of "vinegar" simply disappeared. Just a single drop over fresh gelato revealed a depth of flavor so mysterious and beautifully layered that it felt almost dreamlike.

There is, however, another side of Modena that deserves equal admiration—the world of motorsport.

Why has such a remarkably small city become the birthplace of so many uncompromising masterpieces of engineering? Why did legendary names such as Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Pagani emerge from this single corner of Italy and continue to captivate the world?

As I explored Modena beneath the July sun, I found myself quietly observing not only the city itself, but also the spirit that seemed to shape it.

During this visit, I had the privilege of touring the Maserati factory, whose history stretches back more than a century.

Watching every stage of production unfold before my eyes, I found myself deeply moved, not only by the craftsmanship itself, but by the unwavering focus reflected in every artisan's expression. Some details, of course, must remain confidential, but the experience is one I will never forget.

The more time I spent in Modena, the more one question continued to return.

Why does this modest city hold so many architectural masterpieces? Why did it also become the cradle of some of the world's most celebrated automobile manufacturers?

Perhaps the answer lies beyond history itself.

The great cathedrals were born from the faith and pride of medieval citizens.

Centuries later, that same spirit seems to have found a new expression in engineering.

Though the centuries have changed, one belief remains remarkably constant:

To create something truly exceptional.

To share the pride of one's city with the world.

Standing in Modena, it is impossible not to feel that enduring passion.

From the legacy of the House of Este to the remarkable rise of Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Pagani, the connection between Modena's cultural heritage and its extraordinary tradition of craftsmanship feels anything but accidental.

Modena is a city where individuality and pride have always gone hand in hand.

Wouldn't you like to discover its story together?

In Part II, the journey continues at the 2026 Venice Biennale.