Anna Maria Montaldo appointed director of Milan's contemporary art hub

Anna Maria Montaldo, 62, has been named director of Milan's Polo del contemporaneo, overseeing the Museo del Novecento, Galleria d'Arte Moderna, and Museo delle Culture. Born in Cagliari with a degree in Letters and Philosophy from the University of Cagliari, she led the Civic Museums of Cagliari since 1987, served on the board of the National Association of Local and Institutional Museums (Anmli), and taught museology at the University of Cagliari. Her contract runs from 2 to 5 years. Montaldo emphasized museums' social role, stating they must connect center and periphery. She applied out of curiosity and was surprised by her win, but believes her competitive profile matched the requirements. At Cagliari, she curated the scientific project and editorial coordination of the Civic Collection of Sardinian Artists of the 20th Century, directed the cataloguing of civic art heritage, launched museum education, and oversaw the acquisition, restoration, and musealization of the Ingrao collection.