Elisabetta Roncati Publishes 'Arte Queer', First Italian Manual on Queer Art

Elisabetta Roncati, art communicator and consultant behind the social media profile Art Nomade Milan, has published 'Arte Queer. Corpi, segni, storie' with Rizzoli, released on September 26, 2023. The book is described as the first Italian manual on queer visual art, addressing the meaning of 'queer' and its connection to contemporary art and LGBTQIA+ rights. It begins with a glossary of gender-related terms and then profiles 50 artists, including Ambrosia, Monica Bonvicini, Zanele Muholi, Tourmaline, Amanda Ba, and Gilbert & George. Roncati explains that the project stemmed from a personal difficult experience and her subsequent involvement with CIG Arcigay Milano, which made her recognize the need for such a publication in Italy. The research relied primarily on English-language sources and online materials, with terminology informed by Vera Gheno's publications. The book is intended for a broad audience, not just art or LGBTQIA+ experts, and includes institutional locations where works can be seen. Roncati cites the exhibition 'Habibi, les révolutions de l’amour' at Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris (Sept 2, 2022 – Mar 19, 2023) and 'Who’s Afraid Of Stardust? Positions of Contemporary Queer Art' at Kunsthalle Nürnberg (until Feb 11, 2024) as influential. She notes that her social media work has trained her to use simple, direct language without sacrificing scientific rigor.