Artissima 2018: High Quality but Italian Art Missing from Institutional Shows

Artissima 2018 celebrated its 25th edition with high general quality across fairs and exhibitions. The fair attracted nearly 55,000 visitors, up from 52,000 in 2017. Flashback drew 16,000, Paratissima 45,000, and OGR almost 17,000. The Others and Flat saw +30% increases. Top highlights included Petrit Halilaj's exhibition 'Shkrepëtima' at Fondazione Merz, which explored Kosovo's history through installations, video, and drawings. Artissima Sound at OGR featured 16 monographic projects selected by curators Yann Chateigné Tytelman and Nicola Ricciardi, attracting a broad audience with interactive and participatory elements. Performances included Giuseppe Chiari's 'La Luce' at Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli by Tempo Reale, and Cleo Fariselli's 'U' with Patrizio Fariselli at ex Cimitero San Pietro in Vincoli. Flops included the absence of living Italian artists in institutional exhibitions, with only deceased masters like Macchiaioli, Laura Grisi, and Giorgio de Chirico shown. The sculpture focus 'De sculpturae natura' at Palazzo Madama was criticized for poor installation. Scheduling conflicts on October 31 forced simultaneous previews of Flashback, Paratissima, Dama, and OGR. The city's mood was described as gloomy despite successful art week, with criticism of the administration's opposition to Olympics and TAV without alternative proposals. Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo's four shows were deemed insufficient for the week.