The site originally consisted of 11 distinct industrial sheds used for drying tobacco leaves.
Alberto Burri selected this industrial location specifically for its ability to house his largest, non-transportable works.
The interior walls of the galleries were painted black by Burri to eliminate distraction and focus attention on the textured surfaces of the paintings.
The 'Cicli' works housed here were designed to be viewed in a specific spatial sequence dictated by the artist.
The Ex Seccatoi del Tabacco is considered a prime example of repurposing industrial heritage for contemporary art preservation.
The Burri Collection at the Ex Seccatoi del Tabacco in Città di Castello houses a monumental assembly of works by Alberto Burri within converted 1950s industrial tobacco drying sheds. The facility features massive, site-specific paintings, notably the 'Cicli' series, displayed in dark, expansive halls designed to accommodate their physical scale. The architecture itself functions as a piece of art, as Burri personally curated the conversion of the former drying kilns into exhibition galleries. The site is one of two locations of the Fondazione Burri, the other being Palazzo Albizzini. It contains the artist's large-scale works, including the 'Il Viaggio' series and 'Sestante'. The building's original industrial structure, characterized by large black-painted volumes, remains largely intact to emphasize the brutalist contrast with the artworks. The collection is globally recognized for its contribution to Informel art and materic painting.
From the center of the main hall looking toward the massive black panels of the 'Cicli' series.
Visit both this site and Palazzo Albizzini to see the complete evolution of Burri's career.
Allow extra time to observe the lighting conditions, as the artist carefully controlled the natural light intake in the sheds.
Wear comfortable footwear, as the floor space is expansive and requires significant walking.
Do not mistake the Ex Seccatoi for the Palazzo Albizzini location, as they house different phases of the artist's work.
Closed on Mondays.
Maintain a quiet volume; do not touch the surfaces of the paintings, which are often fragile and highly textured.
