If you find yourself in Milan before the end of January, Palazzo Reale is hosting “Dalí and Fashion,” open September 24, 2026 through January 31, 2027. The exhibition opened during Milan Fashion Week, and Novacolor Italia contributed to the design of the exhibition spaces with a selection of surfaces and paints. They were chosen to guide visitors through the galleries and to shape how the artworks, light, and architecture relate to one another.
Curated by Judith Clark, the exhibition brings together more than 200 works from major international collections, including paintings, drawings, garments, photographs, jewelry, films, and documents. It follows the connections between Salvador Dalí’s work and the worlds of fashion, design, and communication.
MATmotion Supreme for backgrounds that stay out of the way
The galleries use MATmotion Supreme in white and several colors to create uniform, controlled backgrounds. Its ultra-matte finish reduces reflections and light interference, so the artworks and installations read clearly while the color helps lead visitors along the route. Curator Judith Clark explains, “The choice of MATmotion Supreme made it possible to create visual backgrounds free from light interference, allowing the artworks and installations to be viewed more clearly.” Supreme is a water-based, A+ certified interior paint that is odorless, low-VOC, and highly washable.
Marmorino KS at the entrance
In the reception areas, the surface takes a more prominent role. Marmorino KS, a lime-based mineral finish, greets visitors at the exhibition entrance. It brings a tactile, material quality to the space and sets its identity from the first step inside. Because it is troweled by hand, the look of Marmorino KS shifts with the way it is worked, from silky satin to soft matte.
Materia Viva Mosaico on the platform
A platform finished in Materia Viva Mosaico completes the project. Mosaico mixes a selection of polychrome stone fragments into the Materia Viva mineral base, so the surface comes alive with reflections and shifting color. The irregular, luminous fragments blend into the material and create depth that changes with the light, a finish that recalls the tradition of mosaic art in a contemporary way. It adds an expressive note to the project and sets color, texture, and architecture in conversation. The line is A+ certified and Indoor Air Comfort USA certified.
A finish for every requirement
The exhibition shows how a single project can call on very different surfaces. Where the artwork needs the spotlight, the walls step back. Color marks the route through the galleries, and texture gives the entrance and the platform their character.
Roberta Vecci, Artistic Director for decorative surfaces and floorings at Novacolor Italia, says, “Taking part in a project such as Dalí and Fashion means bringing the theme of surfaces into a broader cultural dialogue, where materials, color and architecture all contribute to shaping the visitor experience.”
If you make it to Milan, which of these three surfaces would you most want to see up close?
EXHIBIT INFO:
Dalí and Fashion
Palazzo Reale Milano
September 24, 2026 through January 31, 2027