Vecchi Vecchioni (Old Vecchioni) | Exposition at Palazzo Pepoli

For over a century, the burning of the Vecchione in Piazza Maggiore has marked the transition from the old year to the new in Bologna. In 1972, Chilean artist Sebastian Matta created the first Vecchione d'artista as a message of peace. Since the 1990s, the city has entrusted the design of the Vecchione to local artists, keeping the tradition alive with ever-evolving meanings.

The Vecchi Vecchioni exhibition at Palazzo Pepoli celebrates this tradition, showcasing reproductions of posters and models of Vecchioni created by artists such as Gabriele Lamberti, Pirro Cuniberti, Emilio Tadini, Tullio Pericoli, Emanuele Luzzati, and Jean-Michel Folon. Also on display is the model of Mercury, the phoenix created by Fumettibrutti for the 2025 Vecchione.