Collaboration and family participation have always been a central part to Virginio’s practice (see personal images). Since immigrating to Chicago from Verona, Italy, with the support of Albert Pick, Jr., and his wife Corrine Frada Pick, he established a collaborative process to work with international artists, architects, scholars, and communities creating opportunities in both his adopted city and native land. Throughout his career his family has been a core aspect to his success and inspiration often involving them in the production of projects––his wife Marisa with photography and administration, and sons Alberto with graphic design, Fabio with writing, and Marco with curatorial and film/video work.

Throughout the years the various studios Virginio has held have inspired his work and acted as catalysts for community involvement within the diverse neighborhoods they were located in, ranging from: Printers Rowe in the downtown area; Grand Avenue & Humboldt Park on Chicago’s West Side; Hyde Park and Bridgeport on Chicago’s South Side. In 2001 the City of Verona granted Ferrari the use of an abandoned old armory to produce, store work and run public workshops leading up to and after his 2003 retrospective exhibit “Ombre della sera” at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna-Palzzo Forti, Verona, Italy. In 2009 he moved his studio to a summer home with an atelier, gallery and sculpture garden in Guardistallo, Italy. In 2018 he donated the environmental sculpture, Forme della terra (2018), to the municipality of Guardistallo, which is located in the town’s entrance.

Inspired by his father’s value on place, participation, craft and intimate approach to creativity, Marco produced his first documentary feature film “Full Circle” (1999-2003) on his father’s work for Virginio’s retrospective exhibit in Verona, Italy. In that time, Marco with the help of his brothers, established Ferrari Studios (1999) to connect and extend the family’s respective creative practices while utilizing Virginio’s studios as shared spaces for initiatives ranging from workshops, happenings and exhibitions. In 2017 through family collaboration and with the support of Virginio’s art collectors and friends, a 600 page monograph art book titled “Virginio Ferrari: Full Circle; 1957-2017” (curated by Marco) was self-published which documents Virginio’s 60 years of artistic activity.

It is in this light that the Virginio and Marisa Ferrari Arts Foundation was formed as it will support the need to preserve Virginio’s on going activity, artworks and resources, solidify the family’s participation in the project working through their respective creative fields, and to continue to build new modes of production and methods of collaboration with local and international art communities.