What does it mean to explore ancient globality and challenge ideas of geographic and cultural stagnation through art? Human heritage and history are not static. They constantly evolve, move, and interact, connecting peoples and cultures. To reflect on the present through past perspectives and objects, Fondazione Prada adds “Global Antiquity: Cultural Interactions in Afroeurasian Space 600 BCE-1000 CE,”  a new research exhibition, to its multidisciplinary venue in Milan. 

“Global Antiquity” displays narratives of art, culture, economy, and politics over 1600 years from the Mediterranean to Asia. The exhibition comprises over 150 statues, inscriptions, jewelry, artwork, and other ceremonial objects from all over the world. Salvatore Settis, Anna Anguissola, and Chiara Ballestrazzi curated the expansive research exhibition, while Rem Koolhaas and AMO/OMA realized a design to capture the nature of its contents. “Global Antiquity” will be displayed from November 5, 2026, to March 1, 2027, and will be accompanied by a series of talks through February 2027.

“Global Antiquity” joins a broader collection of exhibitions. Fondazione Prada’s Milan and Venice spaces have explored themes of globality, reuse, and the powerful influence of ancient art since 2015 through exhibitions like “Serial Classic,” “Portable Classic” and “Recycling Beauty.” The exhibit also reflects the art institution’s own origins and dedication to studying human culture. Since 1993, Fondazione Prada and its founders, former Prada CEOs Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli, have valued the intersection of art and research to understand the world and its many changes through unique perspectives.