Cosenza's BoCs Art Museum embroiled in controversy over damaged artworks and curator dismissal

The BoCs Art residency program in Cosenza, Italy, is facing renewed controversy after photographs emerged showing damaged and poorly stored artworks in a storage facility. The program, launched in 2015 by Mayor Mario Occhiuto, involved small artist studios along the riverfront. Curator Alberto Dambruoso, who managed the residencies for two years and curated the inaugural exhibition of the BoCs Art Museum in December 2017, was unexpectedly replaced by local artist Maurizio Orrico and Giacinto Di Pietrantonio, former director of GAMeC Bergamo. Dambruoso claims the city owes him and his staff around €25,000 in fees and has not reimbursed several artists. Photographs obtained by Artribune show artworks piled haphazardly, damaged, and stored in an unlocked ground-floor room in the San Domenico complex, accessible from two entrances. The storage conditions appear to violate contractual obligations requiring proper insurance, diligent custody, and qualified personnel. The controversy highlights broader issues with the residency model, which prioritized quantity over quality, and the lack of investment in structured programming, workshops, and international collaborations. The future of the museum and its collection remains uncertain.