July 2026 (G.T.) - Following its unveiling in Rome, at the Vespa Village in the Stadio dei Marmi at the Foro Italico as part of the major international event ‘Vespa, 80 Years of an Icon – ROMA 2026’ (25–28 June 2026), the exhibition ‘80 Years of an Icon – The Exhibition’ has moved to the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera (Pisa, Tuscany), where it will remain open to the public until 7 November 2026.
The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through eight decades of change in habits and society. A journey marked by images that tell the story not only of the evolution of the Vespa – a vehicle that has become a global icon of Italian elegance and technology – but also of this vehicle’s extraordinary capacity to play a starring role throughout every period of recent history.
Photo after photo, visitors discover the many roles played by the Vespa over time: a means of transport and a symbol of freedom, a travelling companion and a style icon, the star of extraordinary adventures and a symbol of a way of life that continues to speak to people of different ages and cultures. From the streets of European cities to major intercontinental rallies, and from film sets to magazine covers, the Vespa stands out as one of the most recognisable and influential objects in contemporary visual culture.
Collection of images from advertising campaigns by Tam Fagiuoli, Piaggio Historical Archive.
This is how Giacomo Bretzel describes the spirit that has guided his work as a curator: “It is the story of an Italy that has travelled a long way on the Vespa. I immersed myself in the magic of this scooter, which acts as a bridge that connects past and present, evolving into a truly timeless icon. In this exhibition, I wanted to take the observer on a journey around the world, through the marvellous images from the Piaggio archives and other collections. I then took my own photographs of a group of young people in the countryside around Pisa, near Pontedera. Against various backdrops, from coastal roads bathed in dazzling sunshine or classical architecture, the Vespa represents a visual diary, exploring the world and tracing the fine line suspended between companionship and independence.”
Collection of images from the Piaggio Historical Archive and the Intesa Sanpaolo Publifoto Archive.
The exhibition unites images from some of the most important Italian and international archives, such as the Piaggio Historical Archive in Pontedera (Piaggio Foundation and Museum), Intesa Sanpaolo’s Publifoto Archive, the ENI Historical Archive, the Pirelli Foundation, the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, CSAC – Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione dell'Università di Parma (Study Centre and Archive of Communication of the University of Parma), the Alinari Photography Foundation, the Civic Photographic Archive of Milan, and the National Museum of Photography in Milan-Cinisello Balsamo. In addition, the exhibition features photos from Asterias Productions-Studio Kameni, Magnin-A, Magnum Photos, Gamma-Rapho, The Jean Pigozzi African Art Collection, Polka Galerie and Studio William Klein.
Some of the photographs of Giacomo Bretzel.
Alongside this wealth of material is a curated selection of photos, collected thanks to the partnerships with galleries and private collections from around the world. Images by great photographers engage in a dialogue with Bretzel’s own photographs, breathing life into a shared narrative that spans continents, visual languages and generations. Featured photographers: Paola Agosti, Bruno Barbey, Peter Beard, Dominique Berretty, Carlo Carlevaro, Mario Cattaneo, Walter Deutz, Robert Emmett Bright, Tam Fagiuoli, Derk Hudson, Ionesco, Marc Gantier, Michel Kameni, Seydou Keïta, Keystone-France, William Klein, Adama Koyaté, Luigi Leoni, Fosco Maraini, Heini Mayr, Gabriele Milani, Johnny Moncada, David McMurry, Alice Moitie, Domingo Nardulli, Toni Nicolini, Claude Nori, Federico Patellani, Pierluigi Fotonotizie, Publifoto Milano, Publifoto Roma, Reporters Associés, David Seymour, Malick Sibidé, Studio Villani, Jean-Louis Swiners, Italo Zannier, Paolo Zerbini.
Photographs of Giacomo Bretzel.
GIACOMO BRETZEL. A professional photographer driven by his greatest passions – portrait photography, cooking, travel, motorbikes and cars – Giacomo Bretzel is a photographer-poet who has always had an extraordinary talent for capturing moments and movements, and the humanity that exists in every corner of the world. For him, ‘analogue photography’ is the highest expression of his art, because this is where the magic of a single moment is truly captured. https://www.giacomobretzel.com/
Source and information on the Piaggio Museum:
https://www.museopiaggio.it/
