Centro Pecci 2020 Program: Strong Female Presence and International Focus

Cristiana Perrella, director of the Centro per l'Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci in Prato, outlines the museum's 2020 program. The year will feature a strong female presence, balancing international and Italian artists, with cross-disciplinary projects spanning art, fashion, design, and graphics. In April, the group show "Protext!" will explore textile materials in protest art. June brings a Simone Forti retrospective co-curated with Macro director Luca Lo Pinto, alongside a survey of young Chinese art. Autumn includes a Chiara Fumai retrospective, "Poems I will never release," co-produced with the Centre d'art contemporain de Genève, and a show on Sister Corita, an artist, designer, teacher, feminist, and anti-war activist from 1960s California. Italian artists remain central: solo shows by Luca Vitone and Mario Rizzi run until March 15, and "Domus Aurea" (April–September) features Martino Gamper and Francesco Vezzoli in dialogue with Gio Ponti's ceramics. Funding comes primarily from the Comune di Prato and Regione Toscana, plus about 25% self-financing via art bonus donations. Perrella reflects on her first year as director, emphasizing openness to diverse creative languages and social dialogue. She identifies research, collection, territorial ties, and smart digital technology use as key challenges for Italian museums. The museum aims to be a "piazza" for the city, with plans to reopen its library and educational spaces.