Anna Mattirolo on the state of Italian contemporary art and institutional support

Anna Mattirolo, who served as the director of MAXXI from 2005 to 2015 and is currently at Scuderie del Quirinale, addresses the obstacles facing contemporary art in Italy. She points out that, despite the recognition of artists such as Maurizio Cattelan and Vanessa Beecroft, the local museum system struggles to adequately support homegrown talent due to financial limitations. At MAXXI, she pioneered mid-career solo exhibitions. While foreign institutions often provide funding for shows, Italian museums lack collaboration. Notable partnerships include MAXXI with Galleria Nazionale and Macro. Initiatives like 'Partito Preso' and the Premio per la giovane arte italiana have contributed to the MAXXI collection. The Italian Council program has allocated nearly €10 million to 112 artists, and the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity has a budget exceeding €40 million. Mattirolo emphasizes the importance of clear roles and long-term strategies.