“The Countess’s Wardrobe” in Bratislava: Marta Marzotto’s world of fashion, art and memory

From 20 November 2026 to 28 February 2027, the Slovak National Museum in Bratislava
will host an exhibition dedicated to Marta Marzotto, bringing together research into fashion
heritage and the language of photography.
The initiative is promoted by Fondazione CHANGES and the Embassy of Italy in Bratislava.

Clothing, jewellery, photographs and accessories become a means of telling a personal story and, at the same time, exploring a chapter of Italian culture and social history. This is the central theme of “The Countess’s Wardrobe”, an exhibition dedicated to Marta Marzotto, open to the public from 20 November 2026 to 28 February 2027 at the Slovak National Museum in Bratislava.

Promoted by Fondazione CHANGES and the Embassy of Italy in Bratislava, with the support of the Department of History, Anthropology, Religions, Art and Performing Arts (SARAS) at Sapienza University of Rome and the Faculty of Arts at Comenius University Bratislava, the exhibition brings the results of a research project exploring fashion as cultural heritage and a repository of memory to an international audience.

A model, muse and art collector, Marta Marzotto was an original and unconventional figure in Italian cultural life. Her wardrobe, characterised by colourful kaftans, prints, embroidery, statement jewellery and bold combinations, reflected an approach to fashion that was free from conventions and trends. Clothing thus became a means of expressing identity, creativity and personality.

At the heart of the exhibition is a dialogue between a selection of garments and accessories belonging to Marta Marzotto and the photographic project by Claudia Sicuranza. The photographs bring her clothes and jewellery into conversation with sculptures from the Museum of Classical Art at Sapienza University of Rome, creating a visual encounter between different materials, forms and historical periods. Through photography, the objects acquire new layers of meaning, evoking the stories and identities that her wardrobe continues to preserve.

The exhibition stems from the research project “Fashion Cultural Heritage. Memories, Museums, Experiences”, developed by Sapienza University of Rome within CHANGES Extended Partnership – Spoke 2: Creativity and Intangible Cultural Heritage, funded by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).

The research dedicated to Marta Marzotto, carried out also thanks to the collaboration with Diamante Marzotto, led to the cataloguing of 495 items from her wardrobe and the creation of an archive dedicated to their preservation and enhancement. This work helps establish garments and accessories as valuable sources for the study of social and cultural history, as well as testimonies to craftsmanship, artisanal knowledge and aesthetic sensibilities.
The research is part of a broader initiative that has involved more than 1,200 fashion institutions across Italy, with the aim of developing digital tools to make museums, archives and collections more accessible and interconnected.

The Bratislava exhibition also builds on the previous presentation in Rome of a selection of Claudia Sicuranza’s photographs, as part of “Beyond Heritage. A Photographic Journey between Art and Science”, an exhibition organised by Fondazione CHANGES at the Museum of Rome – Palazzo Braschi. The new exhibition expands on this experience by bringing garments and accessories together with the photographs, offering visitors a more comprehensive interpretation of Marta Marzotto’s legacy.

Through this initiative, Fondazione CHANGES continues its commitment to the enhancement of cultural heritage, fostering dialogue between scientific research, artistic production and international institutions. “The Countess’s Wardrobe” highlights fashion’s value as a cultural document: a tangible and intangible heritage capable of telling stories about people, historical periods and social transformations.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Venue: Slovak National Museum, Bratislava
Dates: 20 November 2026 – 28 February 2027
Opening reception (by invitation only): 19 November 2026, 4:00 pm
Promoted by: Fondazione CHANGES and the Embassy of Italy in Bratislava

CREDITS
Exhibition organisers: Slovak National Museum; Embassy of Italy in Slovakia (Ambassador Gianclemente De Felice; Director General Vieroslava Bernátová).
Exhibition curator: Samuele Briatore.
Assistant curators: Sofia Terrevoli, Daniele Baroni.
Scientific Committee: Romana Andò, Ivan Šuša, Diamante Marzotto, Fabio Beltotto, Samuele Briatore.
Scientific collaboration: Comenius University Bratislava – Faculty of Arts (Prof. Ivan Šuša); Sapienza University of Rome – Department of History, Anthropology, Religions, Art and Performing Arts (SARAS) (Prof. Romana Andò).
Exhibition made possible by: Archivio Marta Marzotto, Diamante Marzotto.
With the support of: Italian Cultural Institute in Bratislava (Fabrizio Iurlano, Director); Fondazione CHANGES (Ilaria Manzini, Scientific Director; Fabio Beltotto, Communication and Dissemination Manager; Domenico Casamassima, Graphic Designer).
Photography: Claudia Sicuranza.
PR and Marketing: Barbora Zajačková (Slovak National Museum).
Cultural Promotion: Tomáš Hollý (Slovak National Museum).
Sponsor: SIAD.
Technical Partner: Accademia Italiana Galateo.
Media Partners: STVR, TASR, Historická revue, in.ba, Pravé slovenské, Slovakia Online.