“It’s time to build the past for the future“: according to the Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano blesses the new three-year program to promote Italian contemporary art Beautiful country. Promotion of Italian art around the world. Promoted by the Ministry of Culture (through the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity) together with the Committee of Contemporary Art Foundations – in a renewed alliance between the public and private sectors – the new program aims to organize six meetings, two per year, over a period of time of three years, bringing together 10 Italian artists and 5 curators and museum directors from around the world each time. The first stop in 2023 will be Naples from July 10th to 12th, followed by Turin from September 20th.
The new contemporary art project, Bel Paese
“20 years after the first establishment of the Directorate-General for Art and now for Creativity, the Ministry of Culture plays a central role in the complex system of contemporary art through its actions of promotion, improvement and support“, commented Mario Turetta, General Secretary of the MiC. “Since the creation of the PAC in 2001, which allows, among other things, the acquisition of contemporary works, numerous projects have been initiated in which the Directorate General has gone beyond the mere role of an “office to provide resources for the one Instrument of encouragement and good practice, such as competitions aimed at rewarding projects and stimulating institutions and territories to create cultural networks. With this attitude First up is the internationalization of Italian creativity in our strategic objectives we collaborate with the Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which coordinates the Italian Cultural Institutes, real outposts of Made in Italy, and with the Committee of Contemporary Art Foundations, within the framework of the protocol signed in 2021 Unite public and private for the perfect success of ambitious projects“.
The project, one of twelve projects supported by the Fund for the Promotion of the Promotion of Italian Culture and Language Abroad for the triennium 2022-2024, was born thanks to this public-private partnership: “We are aligned towards the same goals“, remember Fabio DeChirico, Head of Service II – Contemporary Art of the General Directorate for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture. “This fruitful dialogue with the committee, which was interrupted during the Corona crisis, has started again: “Bel Paese” is not just a wish, but an expression of the will to build a network of synergies, know-how and strategic relationships“. The project has already been very successful: “We didn’t imagine it. We have just completed the Italian Council awarding 63 projects with over 2 million euros in support of curators, artists, critics, publications and the Grand Tour, a fundamental forge for artists who have become very well known, such as Diego Marcon. Now Bel Paese takes over this exchange and collaboration by inviting very important foreign foundations and institutions“.
For the first stage in Naples, supported by the Morra Greco Foundation, the chosen artists are selected Francesco Arena, Stefano Arienti, Betty Bee, Jacopo Benassi, Giulia Crispiani, Caterina De Nicola, Adji Dieye, Raffaella Naldi Rossano, Lina Pallotta, And Giulia Piscitelli, who present their works and portfolios to international curators Michelle Cotton (of the Mudam of Luxembourg), João Laia (from KIASMA in Helsinki), Claudia secure (of the MACBA of Barcelona), Fabian Schöneich (of the CCA Berlin), Milan Ther (of the Hamburger Kunstverein). The names of Turin and the next cities are yet to be determined, but according to De Chirico it will be guaranteed.the alternation between southern and central-northern cities based on a great scientific work of the Board of Trustees, consisting of Anna Mattirolo and Stefano Collicelli Cagol“.
The promotion of contemporary art in Italy between public and private
“On behalf of the 17 Foundations of the Committee, I express my great satisfaction that a project has come about that strengthens the relationship between MiC and private institutions and gives new energy to all of us, to supporting the arts and a public-private partnership which is our first goal since birth in 2014“, commented Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Contemporary Art Foundations Committee. The foundations (which can be viewed at this link) have a presence throughout the area and work closely together to ensure that the art “plays a strategic role in national identity, which we must strengthen. Contemporary art requires a great deal of responsibility from foundations.” This is also thanks to the funds that the digital transition provides for cultural and creative organizations, making it possible to “build”. a digital platform to give visibility to the artists involved in this new project, freely accessible worldwide“.
“I am deeply convinced of the value of contemporary art‘ the minister commented Sangiuliano. “We must build the past of the future: art must never be static. In our daily work we are involved in very important projects related to archeology – we will soon provide new funds to Pompeii, we have inaugurated the elevator of the third ring of the Colosseum, we are committed to the rehabilitation of the imperial archaeological area and we will do we double the Archaeological Museum of Naples – and the Renaissance – for example in the case of the Uffizi Diffusi – but let’s also think of the contemporary“. The minister said: “We have to be a little heretical and anticipate the art of the future by giving young people the opportunity to test themselves against the new and let their ideas run wild: in a hundred years their work will show the historical sense of today“. With a preview: “I would like to introduce the determination to establish one “Italian Capital of Contemporary Art” which is selected each year from medium to small sized candidates and hosts residencies for artists from all over the world (who can leave their work on site).“.
The cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote contemporary art
“The promotion of Italian art and culture is one of the most important tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and this project perfectly fits our objectives as it creates a contact tool between Italian artists and prestigious foreign institutions in the region“, commented Alessandro DePedys, Director General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. “The basic idea of the project is similar to that which had led us to invite here directors and directors of cultural institutes, always in the region and always starting from Naples, with Capodimonte, man, but also the theater of Secondigliano Nest that performed in Prague. It is a matter of convergence between ministries, indispensable knowledge and wealth partners on the one hand and the foreign network on the other. An example is Mattarella, who in recent days has presented the “Tale of Beauty” exhibition in Chile or, to speak of the present, the large Farnesina collection of 700 pieces and collaborations to bring Italian art to the United States, Asia and… to bring to Israel. In short, there is a fruitful collaboration to bring the voice of today’s Italy abroad“.
Julia Giaume