Arper Feltrin Foundation (AFF) is a nonprofit organization founded by Claudio, Mauro, and Giulio Feltrin to preserve and evolve the values that have shaped Arper’s identity. Established in December 2021, the Foundation is driven by a clear mission: to foster connections between contemporary art, design, and architecture through a transdisciplinary dialogue. It is a space for cultural experimentation—independent, yet in constant creative exchange with Arper.
AFF focuses on artistic research and development, offering companies tools and consultancy to enhance their identity and corporate culture. This commitment takes shape through initiatives such as the Arper Archive, which collects and interprets the company’s history, and Villa Filanda Antonini, home to the Foundation’s artist residencies. Together, these projects strengthen the bond between Arper, its local roots, and the global cultural landscape, nurturing an ecosystem of knowledge and inspiration.
BUILDING THE INTANGIBLE
Alessandro Calabrese, “Musical Chairs” video. Arper, 2021. Performance realized involving the people of Arper. Filming and video editing realized with the help of Daniele Costa.
Established in 2023 and entrusted to the Arper Feltrin Foundation, the Arper Immaterial Archive was created from the Feltrin family’s desire to give structure to a wealth of experiences that had never been systematically organized before.
Inspired by the story of founder Luigi Feltrin, as told in the book Volevo fare il Cowboy, the project took shape through the work of artist Alessandro Calabrese at Villa Filanda Antonini, the Foundation’s first artist residency. Through a shared creative process, the artist explored the connections between people, the company, and its products, tracing a thread that now guides the Immaterial Archive. Bringing together stories from the Feltrin family, as well as former and current collaborators, the project takes a human-centered, participatory approach. More than a record of the past, it is a space for dialogue, transformation, and the transmission of values—bridging history, identity, and the future.
Beyond documentation, the Archive also promotes workshops and educational programs, encouraging exchange, learning, and collective growth. Here, memory and innovation come together to shape new perspectives for Arper and its community.
“The Foundation is a window onto the world—through it, Arper expresses its identity and approach, where people and beauty intersect.”
ARTIST RESIDENCY
On the left: The founders and creators of the Villa Filanda Antonini artist residency program. Photo Federico Marin.On the right: Artist Linda Linko at work, Villa Filanda Antonini, 2022. Photo Federico Marin.
“Teuta” exhibition, Matteo Valerio, Villa Filanda Antonini, 2023. The featured work, which gives the exhibition its name, was sewn thanks to the know-how of people working in Arper's upholstery department. Photo Federico Marin.
On the left: Alessandro Cugola, “The Body” three-piece installation from the project ‘I rather be eaten’. This work was created using textile production waste, skillfully sewn by the people working in Arper's upholstery department. Photo Federico Marin. On the right: Freddie Murphy, “The Night shows no Dawn” performace, Villa Filanda Antonini, 2024. Photo Federico Marin
Matteo Valerio, “Workshop of natural dye”, Villa Filanda Antonini, 2024. Photo Sofia Bonato.
“Il suo buio speciale” pubblication, Mattia Balsamini and Pietro Minto, ed. Villa Filanda Antonini, 2022.
The Villa Filanda Antonini team together with artist Linda Linko, ArtVerona, 2023. Photo by Matteo Losurdo.
Alessandro Calabrese, installation part of the “Gente in progresso” project. Villa Filanda Antonini, 2021. The iconic Catifa chair sketched by the people of Arper.
Alessandro Calabrese, installation part of the project “Gente in progresso”, Villa Filanda Antonini, 2021. The photographs show close-ups of the production processes inside Arper
Mattia Balsamini and Pietro Minto, “Il suo buio speciale” exhibition, Villa Filanda Antonini, 2022.
Since 2021, the residency has welcomed artists and cultural professionals from various disciplines, selected through an open call by a multidisciplinary jury. Each participant is invited to develop a site-responsive project, engaging with the landscape, its material qualities, and its social and cultural heritage.
To strengthen its connection with the local area, the residency fosters artistic production in collaboration with a network of local expertise—including universities, research institutes, companies, and carefully selected manufacturers within VFA’s network. The goal is to create synergies between artists and the community while enhancing the region’s resources.
Throughout the year, VFA hosts exhibitions, workshops, and cultural events open to the public—designed for those who are curious, passionate about art, and eager to create, collaborate, and share experiences with the resident artists.
Residents, events and exhibitions
ARPER DESIGN STORIES
How does our past shape the future? Join us for a conversation with Claudio Feltrin, Giulio Feltrin, Giulia Mela, and Marco Benvegnù as we explore how the Archive safeguards Arper’s legacy, nurtures a shared culture, and strengthens the connection between its local roots and the global cultural landscape.