To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Italian expedition to K2, the National Mountain Museum of Turin and the Trento Film Festival are presenting an exhibition that tells the story of the feat from new perspectives. The exhibition, which will be held at Palazzo Roccabruna in Trento until May 18th, explores the impact that the expedition had on the imagination of a country emerging from war and the contribution of the Italian industry in the field of mountaineering.
The Italian expedition to K2 in 1954 was an epic event in the history of mountaineering. When Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni became the first to reach the summit of K2 on July 31st of that year, they didn’t immediately realize the importance of their achievement. It was only in the following days, as news began to spread through the radio and they were greeted by a jubilant crowd upon their return home, that they fully understood the magnitude of their success.
The exhibition, curated by Leonardo Bizzaro, Roberto Mantovani, and Vinicio Stefanello, offers an in-depth look at the Italian expedition to K2. In addition to the mountaineering aspect, the events leading up to and following that fateful July 31st are highlighted. The exhibition showcases materials from the collections of the Mountain Museum and the archives of companies producing mountaineering equipment and gear. Original photographs from the expedition, newspapers, advertisements, and radio and television recordings from the time will be on display. Additionally, the exhibition will conclude with an artistic installation by the D20 ART LAB collective, offering a reinterpretation of Marcello Baldi’s film “Italia K2” using images by Mario Fantin.
The exhibition will be open to the public until May 18th at Palazzo Roccabruna in Trento, the headquarters of the Trento Chamber of Commerce and the Provincial Enoteca of Trentino. Afterwards, the exhibition will be set up at the Mountain Museum in Turin in the autumn, as part of the celebrations for the museum’s 150th anniversary.
This exhibition not only celebrates the Italian expedition to K2 but also the Mountain Museum and the Trento Film Festival. The exhibition is produced in collaboration with the Italian Alpine Club and the City of Turin, with the support of the Piedmont Region and the Chambers of Commerce of Trento and Turin.
For those who wish to visit the exhibition, here are some useful information: the opening ceremony will take place on Tuesday, April 16th at 6:00 pm at Palazzo Roccabruna in Trento. The opening hours are as follows: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm; Thursday and Friday from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm; Saturday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm; closed on Sundays. From April 26th to May 4th, the exhibition will be open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, and on May 5th, it will be open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to delve into the history of Italian mountaineering and celebrate the extraordinary feat accomplished on K2 back in 1954.
Italian Version
