While Yves Klein was painting his first blue monochromes in Paris (1957), the Galleria Blu, founded by Peppino Palazzoli, was opening in Milan.

The Galleria Blu, born with the precise idea of giving, through its choices, immediate information on international artists and sculptors, has given preference and fought from the very beginning with the scope of attesting the postwar forefront artists. 

Argan, Fontana, Palazzoli and Crispolti at Galleria Blu, 1960

In addition to these artists, the Blu has also presented a series of historically important exhibitions: from Boccioni to Balla, from Wols to Gorky and from Yves Klein to Manzoni.

Burri, Morlotti, Vedova and Fontana all shown for the first time with exclusive rights.

The trust of the artists and the will to renew were the elements which drove the Galleria's activity forward.

We can mention some later exhibitions in order to show how the Blu avoided settling down into a possible and foreseeable kind of safe collectionism:

Vedova, Dubuffet, Michaux, Wols in 1960, Afro and Music in 1961, Schumacher, Moholy-Nagy in 1962, Gorky in 1964, Schwitters, Ernst in 1965, Calder, Tinguely in 1972, Fautrier, Riopelle in 1973, Feininger in 1974, Blake in 1977, Kupka in 1979.

Peppino Palazzoli, died in Milan on 3rd April, 1982.

On the 23rd May, his son, Luca Palazzoli, opened the exhibition "Feininger and Kandinsky". This, together with the exhibitions which were to follow revealed the intention of continuing a coherent policy with the past, through choices made following historical motivation, in continual search of quality which lasts in time and isn't influenced by trends.

In 1983, personal exhibitions of Matta and Lucio Fontana were held.

In 1984, the Blu showed 40 works by Piero Manzoni. This artist had already had exhibitions in 1964 and 1970. In June 1984 a personal exhibition of Depero, and at the end of the same year, Gastone Novelli.

In 1985, an exhibition of Pinot Gallizio and a personal exhibition of Arakawa including 10 of his most recent works. 1986 started with the works of art of Tancredi and was followed by Lynn Chadwick.

In 1987 the City Council of Milan together with the Editor, Vanni Scheiwiller, paid homage to the 30 years activity of the Galleria Blu has held a series of exhibitions which have shown a double intention to respect its past, but also give a chance to imprompt expository occasions which encourage critical meditation.

Some of this are: Manzoni (1988), Santomaso (1990), Sandro Martini, Bonalumi (1991), Chadwick (1992), Dubuffet (1993), Wols, Schultze (1994), Klee, Kandinsky (1995), Picasso, Schwitters (1996).

In 1997 the Galleria Blu celebrated 40 years of activity with two exhibitions dedicated to the artists which the Blu has rappresented, some with worldwide exclusive rights; and with the Prize exhibition: "Libero Blu (Free Blue)" for young artists.

In 1998, personal exhibitions of Chadwick and Schultze and the exhibition "Il segno dei grandi (Mark of the great)", a collection of works of the most important artists of this century, from Matisse onwards.

In 1999 a very important group exhibition called: “Fuoco Sacro” took place, on show Dubuffet, Mirò, Gorky, Wols and others. In march opened the big exhibition “Lucio Fontana”, the 6th dedicated to the artist.
Still in 1999 Herbert Hamak one-man show and “La scultura Lingua morta?” a show devoted to sculpture with works by Arp, Chadwick, Chillida, Giacometti, Moore, Marini, Nevelson, M.Rosso and others.

In 2000 two one-man shows have taken place: “Max Ernst, Un Monde Perdu”, which included 28 works from 1924 to 1974 and “Santomaso”, a big retrospective with works from 1947 to 1989.

In 2001 the group exhibition “Quarantaquattro Blu”, held in occasion of the fortyfour years of the gallery’s activity with works of great artists such as Fontana, Picasso, Klein, Klee, Kandinsky and Chagall and the one man show dedicated to Alberto Burri: “Burri & Palazzoli - La Santa Alleanza”.

In 2002 “The Four Blu” with works of Klee, Kandinsky, Feininger and Jawlensky, then the one man show of Agostini Bonalumi called: “Sensorialità e Astrazione” and, from the end of september 2002, the one man show of Gastone Novelli named: “L’Esercizio della Libertà”.

The Galleria Blu realised Piero Manzoni's Catalogue raisonné: "Catalogo Ragionato dell'opera di Piero Manzoni" and is preparing the catalogues for Agostino Bonalumi, Sandro Martini and Giuseppe Santomaso.