Opinion & reviews

Editorials, critical reviews, analyses, commentaries, and viewpoints on the contemporary art world.

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Emilia Giorgi's Editorial on Pandemic, Resistance, and Cultural Transformation opinion-review
In an editorial for Artribune, Emilia Giorgi reflects on the COVID-19 lockdown's impact on cultural production and the need for genuine transformation. She cites Luciana…
Germano Celant: The Militant Curator Remembered by Daniele Capra opinion-review
Germano Celant, the Italian critic and curator who coined the term Arte Povera, is remembered by Daniele Capra as a militant, despotic, and irreplaceable figure. Celant…
Dance in the Pandemic: Between Resistance and Commodification opinion-review
Stefano Tomassini critiques the state of dance during the COVID-19 lockdown, arguing that the sector in Italy lacks political vision and is treated as mere entertainment. He…
Restoration in Italy: A Profession Overlooked During Pandemic opinion-review
The article argues that restoration, a physically hands-on discipline requiring direct contact with artworks, has been largely ignored during Italy's COVID-19 lockdown.…
Italian Museums Reopen in Phase 2: Uncertainties and Challenges opinion-review
Italian museums and libraries are expected to reopen in May under regional safety protocols, but numerous uncertainties remain. The article by Massimiliano Zane questions which…
Artists' charity initiatives: genuine generosity or cheap publicity? opinion-review
Pino Boresta questions the authenticity of artists' charity initiatives during the COVID-19 crisis, arguing that many participants lack commercial value and use these events for…
Francesco Rutelli on Culture Funding and Post-COVID Recovery opinion-review
In a May Day interview with Massimiliano Tonelli, Francesco Rutelli, president of Anica and creator of Videocittà, argues that sufficient funds exist for Italy's cultural,…
Giuliana Setari Carusi Remembers Germano Celant's Legacy opinion-review
Giuliana Setari Carusi, an Italian collector, recounts her decades-long friendship with curator Germano Celant, who died in 2020. She recalls his work ethic, his role in promoting…
Ailton Krenak and Davi Kopenawa Share Indigenous Views on Pandemic, Environmental Crisis, and Political Resistance opinion-review
In a text from 2019, which resurfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous leader Ailton Krenak suggests the creation of "colorful parachutes" as an imaginative solution to…
Paolo Maggis on Trusting Culture: Art, Individuality, and Society opinion-review
Artist Paolo Maggis reflects on the role of art and culture in society, arguing against the instrumentalization of art for social or political ends. He contends that true art…
Richard Leydier on Flowers as Hope in Lockdown opinion-review
In a May 1 editorial for artpress, Richard Leydier reflects on the symbolic power of flowers during the COVID-19 lockdown, noting the irony of beautiful spring weather in Paris.…
Why emptiness and silence frighten us during quarantine opinion-review
The COVID-19 quarantine has imposed a pervasive emptiness and silence that many find terrifying. This article explores how artists have historically engaged with these concepts.…
Renato Barilli Remembers Germano Celant's Dictatorial Genius opinion-review
In a personal tribute, critic Renato Barilli recounts his long relationship with Germano Celant, the inventor of Arte Povera. Barilli first encountered Celant in the 1960s through…
Museums Must Rethink Their Role for Post-COVID Audiences opinion-review
In a reflective essay, exhibition designer Lorenzo Greppi argues that the COVID-19 pandemic forces museums to fundamentally rethink their purpose and audience engagement. With…
Giorgio Agamben's Biopolitics Revisited in Confinement opinion-review
In the fourth episode of the series 'Recommencer nos classiques,' Claire Margat revisits the philosophy of Giorgio Agamben, drawing parallels between his concepts and the current…
Ezio Bosso on Music as Social Necessity and the Crisis of Culture opinion-review
In his final interview, Italian composer and conductor Ezio Bosso (Turin, 1971) argues that music is a social necessity, not a luxury. He criticizes the Italian government's…
Arte Fiera Director on Art Fairs' Future Before Vaccine opinion-review
Simone Menegoi, director of Arte Fiera in Bologna, discusses the future of art fairs during the pandemic. He launched an online series 'In Galleria' to maintain contact with the…
Thomas Dane on Post-Lockdown Art Market: Relationships Over Digital opinion-review
London gallerist Thomas Dane, who opened a Naples branch in 2018, discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the art world. He emphasizes that cash flow management and maintaining…
Numero Cromatico's urgent plea for Italian art research funding opinion-review
Numero Cromatico, a research center founded in Rome in 2011 by a group of researchers from visual arts and neuroscience, has published an open letter denouncing the lack of…
Christian Caliandro on Art in Domestic Spaces and Abolishing the Superfluous opinion-review
In the fifteenth installment of the series 'L’arte rotta' on Artribune, Christian Caliandro reflects on how the pandemic has shifted art production from large studios to intimate…
Curators' silence during pandemic sparks debate on their role opinion-review
An article by Ivan D'Alberto on Artribune questions the silence of curators during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted by a young artist's Facebook query. The author notes that early…
Twyla Tharp's 'The Creative Habit' on Solitude and Creativity opinion-review
In an opinion piece on Artribune, Silvia Giordano explores the relationship between solitude and creativity, drawing on Twyla Tharp's book 'The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It…
Collector Giorgio Valentini calls for structural reform of Italian art system post-COVID opinion-review
In a critical essay on Artribune, collector Giorgio Valentini argues that the COVID-19 crisis exposes pre-existing flaws in Italy's contemporary art system, not just…
Proposal for generative welfare to support Italian culture opinion-review
Fabio Severino argues that the cultural sector, while economically fragile like others, deserves special support due to its societal value. He proposes a generative welfare model:…
Art as societal assistance: Rethinking artist roles post-COVID opinion-review
Valentino Catricalà argues that the pandemic has exposed the fragility of the art world and its lack of recognition by society. He calls for a paradigm shift from welfare for…
Franco Noero on the future of galleries: community and resilience opinion-review
In an interview with Artribune, gallerist Franco Noero, who runs two spaces in Turin (Piazza Carignano and via Mottalciata), discusses the challenges facing the art market during…
Italian dance sector faces existential crisis after pandemic shutdown opinion-review
The Italian dance sector is grappling with severe economic and emotional fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, as theaters remain closed and performances canceled. Manuela Barbato,…
Alessandra Mammì: Italian public museums must reclaim their role in promoting local artists opinion-review
In a commentary on Artribune, Alessandra Mammì argues that Italian public museums have neglected their duty to support Italian artists, particularly mid-career and emerging ones,…
Antonio Barrese: artisti e sussidi nell'era post-COVID opinion-review
Antonio Barrese critica l'appello di Sergio Risaliti per il sostegno agli artisti durante la pandemia, definendolo vano e superato. Propone invece uno sciopero collettivo dei…
Carlo Cottarelli: Museums Need Grants, Not Loans, to Survive Crisis opinion-review
During a Triennale Decameron Instagram live on April 19, 2020, economist Carlo Cottarelli argued that cultural institutions require non-repayable subsidies rather than debt-based…
Lorenzo Canova on Lucio Del Pezzo's Neometaphysical Dialogue with de Chirico opinion-review
Lorenzo Canova examines Lucio Del Pezzo's (1933-2020) artistic debt to Giorgio de Chirico, positioning the Neapolitan artist within a 'neometaphysical' pole of Italian art…
Artists Take on Climate Emergency: From Activism to Ecological Art opinion-review
Fifteen years following Bill McKibben's initiative for climate change art through 350.org, artists have taken action, particularly after the 2009 COP15 and the emergence of Greta…
Milan's Culture Councillor on Post-Lockdown Future for Arts opinion-review
Milan's culture councillor Filippo Del Corno discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the city's cultural sector. He states that live performances have been hit hardest, but all…
Artists as Prometheus: The Need for New Heroes of Thought opinion-review
In a reflective essay, Mariantonietta Firmani argues that artists must act as Promethean figures, stealing fire from the gods to give to humanity, especially in times of crisis.…
Taschen's Influence on Museum Architecture in Central Asia opinion-review
Thibaut de Ruyter argues that Taschen's publishing empire shapes architectural choices in Central Asia, exemplified by Tadao Ando's selection for the National Museum of Art in…
Italy neglects living artists while Germany supports them during pandemic opinion-review
Roberto Farneti criticizes Italy's focus on cultural heritage over living contemporary artists. He contrasts Germany's concrete support for artists during COVID-19, including a…
Pandemic Exposes the Crisis of Fiction in Art opinion-review
Christian Caliandro argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has shattered the capacity for fiction in art and culture. The virus, as Ivan Carozzi wrote, 'unmasks and reveals the world,'…
P420 gallerists warn of severe impact if autumn fairs are cancelled opinion-review
In an interview with Artribune, Alessandro Pasotti and Fabrizio Padovani of P420 gallery in Bologna discuss the Covid-19 crisis's impact on the art market. They note that while…
Ilaria Bernardi on the Duty to Support Italian Contemporary Art opinion-review
Art historian and curator Ilaria Bernardi argues for sustained support of Italian artists from the last twenty years, countering the trend of favoring foreign artists. Initially…
Lenz Fondazione president Francesco Pititto calls for theatre reform post-pandemic opinion-review
In an open letter featured in Artribune, Francesco Pititto, the president of Lenz Fondazione, discussed the future of theatre in a post-COVID-19 world, highlighting the importance…

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