Antonio Tucci Russo on Art, Poetry, and the Future of Creativity

Antonio Tucci Russo, founder of the Tucci Russo gallery in Turin, reflects on his career, inspirations, and vision for the future in an interview for the 'Futuro Antico' series. Born in Carema in 1944, he opened his gallery in 1975, representing Arte Povera artists and international contemporaries. The gallery now has two locations: a 1,200-square-meter former textile factory in Torre Pellice and a historic palazzo in central Turin. Russo cites poetry as his primary artistic influence, emphasizing its fragility and strength. He considers his first Mario Merz exhibition in Corso Tassoni his most representative project, where the artist's studio and gallery merged poetically. On the relationship between place and creativity, he notes that projects enter spaces and vice versa, often involving conflict. Regarding the past and future, Russo believes the past lives within us and that awareness of our roots allows us to project forward. He advises young gallerists to pursue passion, humility, dialogue, frequent contact with artists, and knowledge of the past. On the concept of the sacred in a post-truth era, he asserts that art has always possessed a sacred image, though the market has diminished its magic; however, art's freedom ensures its eternal allure. Looking ahead, Russo sees the future in artists' hands, with fundamental themes from great masters re-emerging to guide new art and worldviews. The interview was conducted by Ludovico Pratesi and published on Artribune.