Galleria Ca d’Oro’s Gloria Porcella, the youngest of four generations of Rome’s renowned art connoisseurs, is on a clear mission to bring Italian art to the U.S. with the stateside debut of the gallery in Coral Gables. Having only opened last year during Art Basel, with the placement of Cracking Art Group’s Pink Snails all over Miami Beach, Porcella has already become an active member in the Miami art community. “My experience in Miami has been fabulous!” she says. “I love the enthusiasm of the people in Miami toward art. When we were doing our installation in Miami Beach last year, so many people were thanking us and waving to us. Even when the snails were vandalized, I received many emails and letters of support.” Porcella and her team were so inspired by the show of support from the city that they decided to turn it all around by having two vandalized snails repainted by artists Jemal Wright and Romero Britto, and auctioning them off for charity.

The gallery’s most recent endeavor, the “Mona Lisa Unveiled” exhibition at the Freedom Tower, celebrated the host of reinterpretations of the famous portrait that surfaced from the 16th century until today. Porcella’s passion for contemporary art was evident, and perhaps even a catalyst for choosing Miami as Galleria Ca d’Oro’s home in the U.S. Our city is the breeding ground for all things nascent and new, opening up a world of opportunity for expression, as well as a new direction for the gallery. “Rome is very different from Miami. To embrace and encourage contemporary art, especially new artists, in Rome one must be courageous and bold,” she explains, “from Europe we saw Miami growing fast in the arts and changing its face, and today Miami is better known for the art scene than for its beaches. I think Miami has great potential and understands that art elevates people.”

One of Porcella’s main objectives with Galleria Ca d’Oro in both cities is making art accessible to younger audiences. She speaks fondly of her gallery director Carol Switzer and their shared interest in always presenting something appealing to children in the gallery.

“I am lucky to have met a person like her,” she says of Switzer, “she has an American mentality with an Italian spirit, a great combination! We are both working mothers and we love to see the interaction of children in our job. Children have a pure vision and it is priceless to see their reaction in front of an artwork. I think that if you are able to touch a child’s heart you have made the greatest impact - immediate and powerful!”

Porcella looks forward to a long relationship with Miami, and is constantly working on new and exciting projects for the gallery and its audience. “I’m considering the possibility of opening a second location with an important Italian entrepreneur in a concept space in which to promote Italian culture, music, art, food and much more.” Needless to say, we’re more than looking forward to this, as well!