BoCs Art Cosenza appoints Giacinto Di Pietrantonio after controversy

The municipality of Cosenza has appointed Giacinto Di Pietrantonio as the new artistic director of the BoCs Art residency project, replacing Alberto Dambruoso. The decision follows a public controversy that began when curator Alberto Dambruoso announced on Facebook that Vittorio Sgarbi had been chosen for the role. After online petitions, citizen outrage, and denials by Mayor Mario Occhiuto, Sgarbi confirmed the appointment to Artribune, only for the municipality to later deny it again. A subsequent official statement named Di Pietrantonio as the new director. Di Pietrantonio, a DAMS graduate from Bologna, has taught art history at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts since 1993 and formerly directed the GAMeC in Bergamo. He expressed enthusiasm for the residency, emphasizing direct contact with artists. Dambruoso, who had curated the project for three years, released a detailed statement criticizing the municipality for lack of communication, unpaid artist reimbursements, damaged artworks, and inadequate museum facilities. He noted that the BoCs Art Museum, inaugurated in December 2017, still lacks proper management. The project has hosted over 300 artists and produced works intended for the museum.