Renowned art curator Francesco Chinnici reveals how his father’s artistic legacy inspired a luxury art space that is redefining Taormina as the Mediterranean’s cultural hotspot
Along the dramatic coastline of Eastern Sicily, where in the distance Mount Etna provides a stunning backdrop to picturesque cobblestone streets lined with haute couture boutiques, a revolution in fine art is taking place. At its center stands Francesco Chinnici, co-founder of Taimeless Art Gallery, a sophisticated new venture housed in a 17th-century building in the very heart of historic Taormina. Entering the gallery’s three-level exhibition space, with its preserved stone arches and carefully calibrated lighting that makes each artwork seem to glow from within, visitors immediately sense they’ve discovered a sanctuary where time truly is… Taimeless.
The spectacular March 2024 inauguration featured works by world-renowned Italian painter Lorenzo Chinnici (Francesco’s father), French sculptor Michel Anthony, and Chinese-American multidisciplinary artist Zhu Wei. Almost exactly one year later, we had the opportunity to sit down with Francesco Chinnici to discuss his vision, Taormina’s emergence as a luxury destination, and the future of Taimeless in the global art landscape. After a well-deserved break over the winter months, the gallery is set to reopen on 27 March 2025.
Your gallery’s opening in March 2024 made quite a splash in the international art world. Why the choice of Taormina?
First of all, I am Sicilian, so to me it’s a matter of pride of homeland. But Taormina has also been quietly transforming for years now – it’s no longer just a beautiful historical town but a genuine luxury destination that rivals Cannes or Monaco. You see Louis Vuitton, Dior, and other high-end brands establishing themselves here, attracted by the unique blend of Mediterranean beauty, historical significance, and the discerning clientele that frequents the area.
We felt, however, that Taormina was missing one critical piece of the luxury lifestyle puzzle: a truly world-class art gallery that could serve as a cultural anchor for the town.
The name ‘Taimeless’ seems to carry multiple meanings. Can you expand on the philosophy behind it?
We believe that truly significant art transcends the moment of its creation and speaks to something universal in the human experience. The name was therefore chosen deliberately. ‘TA’ references Taormina itself, while ‘T’AIME’ expresses love in French – a guiding principle behind all that is beautiful and meaningful in art. And of course, ‘TIMELESS’ speaks to the eternal nature of great art, which exists outside the constraints of any particular era. Our hourglass logo represents this eternal flow of time.
Your father, Lorenzo Chinnici, is one of Italy’s most celebrated contemporary painters. How has his influence shaped your approach to the gallery?
Growing up as the son of Lorenzo Chinnici meant that art was never abstract for me… it was tangible, breathing, and alive in our home. My father taught me that great art is not just about technical mastery; it is about conveying emotion and spirit.
This philosophy guides our curation at Taimeless. We do not simply look for accomplished artists; we seek those whose work resonates with authentic feeling and vision. My father’s international success and countless exhibitions around the world also showed me how art could bridge cultural divides, which is why diversity in our represented artists is so important to us.
You have previously organized the ‘Timeless Immortal Art’ exhibition in your father’s hometown of nearby Meri, which has since expanded internationally. How does Taimeless Gallery build on that foundation?
Timeless Immortal Art was my way of honouring my father’s legacy while also putting Meri on the international art map. That exhibition taught me how powerful art can be as a cultural ambassador.
The success of Timeless Immortal Art in places as distant as China convinced me that there is a universal hunger for meaningful artistic exchange that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries. With Taimeless, we are taking that concept further by creating a permanent space where artists from diverse backgrounds can showcase their work in dialogue with one another.
The gallery’s inaugural exhibition featured just three artists – an Italian, a French sculptor based in Nice, and a Chinese-American. What was the thinking behind this curated selection?
We wanted our opening statement to reflect our core values: aesthetic excellence, cultural interconnectedness, and artistic freedom. Rather than overwhelming visitors with quantity, we chose to present fewer artists of exceptional quality whose work resonates with one another despite their diverse origins and media.
Lorenzo Chinnici represents the deep Italian artistic tradition. His figures are strong and physical, like those that Renaissance artists tended to paint. By capturing fleeting moments, such as fishermen coming back ashore or a glowing Mediterranean sunset, he renders the ordinary, extraordinary.
Michel Anthony brings his internationally acclaimed bronze sculptures that speak of love, veneration of the female body, and positive emotions. He refuses to be bound by eras, style, and borders – his artistic language is universal. He is by the way just as extraordinary as a painter. And this accomplished artist also has an incredible personal story that took him from being a child worker in Malaysia to rubbing shoulders with princes and dignitaries in Europe.
And Zhu Wei, one of China’s leading artists, merges traditional Chinese ink painting with contemporary themes, creating distinctive, expressive figures that reflect modern life with a dreamlike, surreal quality. In the gallery’s inaugural year he contributed contemporary work with powerful environmental themes that address global concerns.
All these works entered in a thoughtful dialogue, creating a visual conversation across cultures and mediums and perfectly demonstrated what we mean when we say ‘art is freedom which has no walls.’ While Lorenzo Chinnici and Michel Anthony will be staples in the gallery, Zhu Wei was guesting, and we will feature another artist, or artists, who also perfectly integrate into our concept.
Michel Anthony’s sculptures have maintained a prominent presence in your gallery since the inaugural exhibition. What qualities in his work align with Taimeless’s aesthetic philosophy?
Michel Anthony’s œuvre exemplifies our fundamental criteria for artistic significance. His bronzes are cast in the first-rate Fonderia d’Arte Massimo del Chiaro in the Tuscan town of Pietrasanta, which has also produced works for Botero and other maestri. They transcend mere formal elegance to articulate profound emotional narratives. Consider for example his award-winning pieces ‘L’Amour Flamboyant,’ ‘Aphrodite,’ and ‘Aidos’ – each manifests technical virtuosity exploring love and positive emotional resonance.
His atelier in Old Town Nice connects him to the Mediterranean artistic tradition while his Malaysian-French heritage embodies the cross-cultural dialogue we champion.
The 2024 opening night featured a Francesco Bertè jewel valued above four million dollars. How does this align with your gallery’s conceptual framework?
Art extends beyond traditional media like painting and sculpture. The Bertè jewel represents our commitment to celebrating artistry in all its forms. Our gallery includes a boutique featuring exclusive luxury jewelry and accessories because we recognize that the same creative impulse that produces a great painting can also manifest in a breathtaking piece of jewelry.
The Bertè piece, with its extraordinary craftsmanship and value, symbolizes the level of excellence to which we aspire in everything we present at Taimeless. This is by the way also why we will accentuate our focus on jewelry in this second year.
The opening gala at Palazzo Ciampoli attracted VIPs and art critics from around the world. Was this international focus part of your strategy from the beginning?
Absolutely. Art today exists in an international context, and we wanted to position ourselves within that conversation from the very beginning.
From day one, we conceived of Taimeless as a gallery with global reach and significance. The gala was not just about making a splashy debut; it was about establishing Taormina as a serious destination on the international art calendar. Having highly regarded Italian public figures like Antonio Presti deliver opening remarks, and securing sponsorship from cultural institutions like the Sicilian Region demonstrated that this venture has deep cultural roots while reaching toward global relevance.
We have also taken care to diversify our appeal for different tastes. That is why we featured guest exhibitions by the likes of such as Lucio Fontana, Sam Francis, Achille Laugé, Maximilien Luce, Mimmo Rotella, Giuseppe Santomaso, Renato Guttuso, Alberto Magnelli, Giuseppe Gorga, Patrick Lo Giudice, The Camille Pissarro’s School, Bartolo Presti, and even Andy Warhol. Obviously, as some of these artists are no longer alive, we only presented their works – but those were originals! We take great care that every single piece in our gallery is an original, not fakes, not copies, all with certificates of origin, guarantees, authentic, archive number that corresponds with the artist’s foundation.
A remarkable fact, of which I am very proud, is that the best five-star hotels in Taormina also display some of the works of our international artists so that even more people can discover their œuvres. Whether they are amateur art lovers or experienced art connoisseurs is not important. What matters is the emotional connection to what they see.
Who will you be exhibiting in the gallery’s second year?
While Lorenzo Chinnici and Michel Anthony continue to be presented at Taimeless Art Gallery, as they perfectly represent our spirit, the other artist or artists are still a surprise.
But I can tell you this much: we will definitely always have different sections, classical art, figurative, and conceptual/abstract art, the best of international art, which integrates into a harmonious overall concept. My father’s works have been an international success for decades due to their powerful depiction of everyday scenes, elevated to a moment frozen in time. Michel Anthony’s continued prominence in our program reflects our commitment to artists whose work possesses both immediate emotional impact and conceptual sophistication – art that speaks simultaneously to intellect and sentiment.
And any other artist or artists who will be exhibited alongside these maestri, will seamlessly mesh with their work and our philosophy.
You have mentioned that the gallery aims to cultivate lineages that run between emerging and established artists. How do you balance promoting renowned masters with discovering new talent?
This balance is essential to keeping a gallery vital and relevant. Established artists like Lorenzo Chinnici or Michel Anthony bring their mastery and reputation, which attracts serious collectors and institutions. But emerging artists bring fresh perspectives and approaches that push the boundaries of what art can be. We see our role as creating meaningful dialogues between generations of artists. Sometimes this means showing their work together; other times it means using our resources and experience to help younger artists develop their voice while being informed by tradition. The lineage between emerging and established artists is not hierarchical – it is symbiotic.
Beyond exhibitions, you also facilitate museum shows and special projects. Can you share more about this aspect of your work?
Our vision extends beyond the walls of our gallery. We work with museums to develop exhibitions that provide deeper context and broader exposure for our artists. We also facilitate public and private commissions, collaborating with curators to place meaningful works in spaces where they can engage with different audiences.
Art should not be confined to one address – it should live in the world, sparking conversation and contemplation in diverse settings. These projects allow us to extend the impact of the artists we represent while contributing to the broader cultural landscape.
Your co-founders Antonio D’Aveni and Stefano Sciacca bring their own expertise to Taimeless. How do your different backgrounds complement each other?
The three of us form a triangle of complementary strengths. My background is deeply rooted in the art world through my family heritage and my experience organizing international exhibitions. Antonio brings exceptional business acumen and strategic vision as our Executive Director, ensuring that our artistic ambitions have a solid foundation. Stefano contributes valuable insights into cultural programming and event management.
Together, we balance the creative, strategic, and operational aspects of running a world-class gallery. This diversity of perspective is crucial as it ensures we consider every decision from multiple angles.
Left to right: gallery mascot Harley, Antonio D’Aveni, Francesco Chinnici, and Stefano Sciacca,
Actually, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Harley della Siepe, our very sweet Chief Canine Officer. A friend rescued Harley four years ago from the street in a pretty rough state after having been severely abused. She has been caring for him ever since, and he has turned into a much-loved member of the Taimeless family.
Looking ahead, you have mentioned plans for international expansion. What might this look like?
We envision Taimeless as a network of galleries in key cultural capitals, each with its own distinctive character while sharing our core values. We are currently exploring opportunities in several locations, though it is too early to announce specifics. The expansion will not be simply about replicating our Taormina location… each new gallery will respond to its unique cultural context while maintaining the standards of excellence and curation that define Taimeless.
We are taking our time with this process because each new location must contribute something meaningful to both the local culture and our broader artistic vision.
The art market has experienced significant changes in recent years, from the rise of digital art to shifting collector demographics. How does Taimeless navigate these evolving landscapes?
We embrace evolution while remaining grounded in timeless principles of artistic excellence. Digital art, for instance, represents an exciting frontier, but our approach is to evaluate it with the same rigorous criteria we apply to traditional media: Does it move us? Does it challenge or enlighten us? Does it demonstrate mastery and innovation?
As for changing collector demographics, we have observed a growing interest in art among younger generations who approach collecting differently than their predecessors.
Our response has been to create an environment that feels accessible and relevant to them while maintaining the sophistication that serious collectors expect. The key is to adapt without compromising our core values.
What do you hope visitors take away from their experience at Taimeless Art Gallery?
I hope they leave with a sense of having encountered something authentic and meaningful – art that speaks to the heart as well as the mind.
In a world increasingly dominated by digital experiences and mass production, we offer a space where people can engage with unique creations born of human imagination and crafted by human hands. Whether someone is a seasoned collector or a first-time gallery visitor, we want them to feel that they have participated in a genuine cultural experience that enriches their understanding of both art and themselves. If they leave Taimeless feeling more connected to the creative spirit that unites us all across time and culture, then we have succeeded in our mission.
Do you have anything you would still like to share with our readers and your visitors?
We live in a period where not only visual art but also music and poetry exist suspended in an inert vacuum. That is, there is no evolution or involution; it is simply as if they do not exist now. Before, artists in all fields and sectors were promoted… now, they are produced. This is horrendous.
Singers now sing with Auto-Tune – we do not listen to their real voice. In painting, artists use artificial intelligence. The most illustrious sculptors are not someone like Michelangelo, but the ones who do the rendering on the computer, and then the pantograph who sculpts for them. Where is the art? Real, trueblood artists are immersed in their work to the point that they become one with their environment.
But international critics have a clouded brain nowadays. “If a different person executes it, that’s no problem” – I do not agree! Art is a holistic idea. If you are an artist, you have your heart, your soul, your brain, your mind, your arms, and your hands connected to a single person, who is called “an artist”. It is not conceivable that someone in France designs an object; someone in Italy sculpts it; someone in America colors it; and then a press officer in England invents a story about this “artist” – branded, made up of many heads. It is not possible. This is not art; this is marketing. This is creating products, not art! And this will never be allowed in any Taimeless Art Gallery, anywhere.
As our conversation concludes, Francesco Chinnici gazes out from the gallery’s windows toward the historic centre of Taormina. In this moment, the carefully chosen name “Taimeless” seems especially apt – a space where the ancient spirit of Sicily meets contemporary artistic vision, where family legacy fuels innovation, and where the boundaries between local identity and global relevance dissolve. Just a year after its grand opening, Taimeless Art Gallery has already established itself as more than just another art venue or even a luxury attraction in Taormina – it represents a bold reimagining of what an art gallery can be in the 21st century.
Taimeless Art Gallery
Corso Umberto 220
Taormina, Sicily, Italy
+39 334 172 1049
+39 320 749 9464
All photos and videos courtesy of Taimeless Art Gallery
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