Bicycle Thieves

An exciting journey through Italian history through the lens of 88 author's photographs, that tell of a passion for the bicycle as a symbol of everyday life and social rebirth. The exhibition Bicycle Thieves. Photographs of Neorealism in the Italy of rebirth, set up in Arese Borromeo Palace, represents a unprecedented exhibition route which brings together the work of 35 great photographers, with works from private archives and exceptional collections.

Edited by Enrica Viganò and organised by ADMIRA, The exhibition is part of the celebrations for the 18th stage of the 108th Giro d'Italia, which will stop at Cesano Maderno the 29 May 2025. The photographic journey is enriched by unique loans, including 31 vintage prints from the Guido Bertero Collection in Turin and a work from the Rudi Bianchi Collection in Los Angeles, miraculously saved from the fire that destroyed much of the collection.

The images on display evoke an era of hope and reconstruction, in which the bicycle was as much a protagonist in everyday life as in the collective imagination. The reference to cinematic masterpieces such as Bicycle Thieves by Vittorio De Sica and the legendary exploits of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali enriches the exhibition experience, immersing visitors in an intense and engaging visual narrative.