Located in Beijing Factory 798, offiCina is an Italian exhibiting space and a curatorial practice focusing on visual art projects. Founded by Rosario Scarpato and Monica Piccioni, since 2002 it actively promotes Chinese and international contemporary art. Its name translates the Italian word for ‘workshop, atelier’ and also alludes in a figurative way to a place where art and culture are fostered. We curate art exhibitions, organize cultural events, seminars, film and video screenings in cooperation with international artists and curators, public and private bodies, involving art related media and wide circulation papers. We also act as consultants for the purchase of artworks and create custom-made art journeys to China.

About Director and Curator

Rosario Scarpato  (director)
roscarpato@officinaltd.com

Holds a degree in Political Science, Oriental Studies, at Istituto Universitario Orientale of Naples, Italy. Since 1988, has been working as a consultant in Beijing for Italian and Chinese public and private institutions (Italian Trade Commission, Italian Embassy Beijing, Bellco, Riello, Gensini, the Italian National Council for Scientific Research) doing market researches, organizing promotional activities at international exhibitions, assisting in the set up of joint venture and trading network. After more than a decade of living and working in China, he has developed an extensive network of contacts and the right way of coping with Chinese mode of thinking and doing business. Previously, he was President and Director of Informasia Srl, a consultancy company based in Naples (Italy), set up on the initiative of University professors and far eastern countries experts with the aim to assist Italian enterprises in doing business in Hong Kong and China (1987-1993). From 2001 to 2004, has worked on various assignments at the Beijing based Sino-Italian Cooperation Program for the Environmental Protection for the implementation of environmental friendly projects financed by the Italian government. In 2002, he co-founded offiCina ltd. managing the company cultural events and business activities between Italy and China.
Lives and works in Beijing.

Monica Piccioni  (project manager and curator)
mpiccioni@officinaltd.com

Graduated in Chinese Studies and Comparative Literature from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 1994. She went to Beijing to study in 1988 and again in 1991-1992. Prior to co-founding offiCina, she worked several years at the Italian Embassy in Beijing and later on collaborated with the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the Italian Trade Commission. Her professional resume includes organization of institutional delegations to China, collaboration with architects for the construction and logistics of exhibiting area at international fairs. She therefore developed an extensive experience in the management of exhibitions and events. Previously, she was editor and coordinated an exchange program between the Italian periodical of Cross-Cultural Studies “I Quaderni di Gaia” and “Chinese Comparative Literature”. She also collaborated to volumes such as “Comparare i comparatismi” (edited by Gnisci-Sinopoli, Roma, Lithos, 1995), “Manuale storico di letteratura comparata” (edited by Gnisci-Sinopoli, Roma, Meltemi, 1997), and contributed essays for the Chinese Studies publication “Mondo Cinese”. Monica has given lectures and public presentations on Chinese contemporary art and Italian literature organized by academic institutions such as Milan University and Beijing Foreign Studies University. She is offiCina’s project curator. Since 2002, directs the art space’s exhibition program and participates to both the creative aspects and the organization of each external project.  Lives between central Italy and Beijing.


Opening hours:
Tue - Sun  11 am - 6 pm   closed on Mon