CRAC Contemporary Art Research Center Opens in Taranto

The city of Taranto, historically damaged by industrialization and depopulation, is experiencing a cultural renaissance with the opening of the CRAC – Centro di Ricerca di Arte Contemporanea (Contemporary Art Research Center). The new museum, housed in the former Convento dei Padri Olivetani, is an offshoot of the Fondazione Rocco Spani, which has focused on childhood education for 25 years. Directed by curator Roberto Lacarbonara, the center is built on a collection of preparatory drawings and projects by historical artists including Pino Pascali, Luigi Mainolfi, Getulio Alviani, Joseph Beuys, Nicola Carrino, Giuseppe Spagnulo, Bruno Munari, and Mauro Sordini. The foundation's president is artist Giulio De Mitri, and the scientific committee includes Bruno Corà and Renato Barilli. CRAC opens on June 9 with two inaugural exhibitions: "Giuseppe Spagnulo. Ritorno a Taranto," a tribute to the late artist who died a year ago, and "Lungo le acque del Bidente," featuring projects and images from the Santa Sofia sculpture park in Romagna, curated by Renato Barilli. This cultural initiative follows other recent projects in Taranto, such as Alessandro Bulgini's "Taranto Opera Viva" and the ArtLab forum by Fondazione Fitzcarraldo, as well as the earlier establishment of the MARTA archaeological museum.