Giuseppe Carli: Sicily Is a Port, Not a Periphery, and Needs Its Own Biennial
In a discussion with Segnonline, Giuseppe Carli, the director of Il Casino delle Muse in Palermo, asserts that Sicily ought to be recognized as a center for artistic exchange instead of a marginal European region. He stresses the importance of promoting Sicilian artists and cultural frameworks. Referencing historical figures such as Antonello da Messina and Renato Guttuso, Carli cautions against limiting Sicilian heritage to a sellable concept of 'sicilianità.' While he acknowledges the vibrant creativity of local institutions, he points out their vulnerability due to inconsistency. Carli proposes establishing a permanent international Biennial in Sicily, with Palermo as its focal point, and urges critics to provide context rather than merely endorse art, while encouraging private galleries to maintain continuity.
Key facts
- Giuseppe Carli is an art critic, curator and director of the Palermo gallery Il Casino delle Muse
- Carli argues Sicily should be understood as a Mediterranean port rather than a European art periphery
- He calls for exporting Sicilian contemporary art, artists, exhibitions and critical research, not only importing foreign artists
- Historical figures cited include Antonello da Messina, Giacomo Serpotta, Renato Guttuso, Carla Accardi, Pietro Consagra and Antonio Sanfilippo
- Carli identifies discontinuity, not lack of talent, as the main weakness of Sicily's contemporary art system
- Gibellina has been named Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2026, and Museo Riso plays an important institutional role
- He proposes a stable international Biennial in Sicily with Palermo as a main center and a diffused geography including Gibellina, Catania, Messina and Siracusa
- Finnish artist Hannu Palosuo reaches his fifth Venice Biennale participation in 2026, shown at Il Casino delle Muse alongside Franca Pisani
Entities
Artists
- Giuseppe Carli
- Antonello da Messina
- Giacomo Serpotta
- Renato Guttuso
- Carla Accardi
- Pietro Consagra
- Antonio Sanfilippo
- Hannu Palosuo
- Franca Pisani
Institutions
- Il Casino delle Muse
- Museo Riso
- Biennale di Venezia
- Segnonline
- rivistasegno.eu
- Segno
Locations
- Sicily
- Italy
- Palermo
- Gibellina
- Catania
- Messina
- Siracusa
- Mediterranean
- Europe
- Milan
- Berlin
- Paris
- New York
- Venice
- Finland