Fiorenzo Alfieri, former Turin culture councillor, dies at 77

Fiorenzo Alfieri, a pivotal figure in Turin's cultural renaissance, died on December 13, 2020, at Ospedale Mauriziano in Turin at age 77 from COVID-19. He served as the city's culture councillor from 2001 to 2011 under mayor Sergio Chiamparino. Alfieri was instrumental in launching Luci d'Artista in 1998, a contemporary art light installation project that transformed Turin into a capital of contemporary creativity, featuring works by Daniel Buren, Mario Merz, and Rebecca Horn. He also promoted numerous initiatives: Giovani Artisti a Torino (later Biennale Giovane Artisti and Circuito GAI), the opening of Museo d'Arte Orientale and PAV Parco d'Arte Vivente, the reopening of Palazzo Madama, the recovery of Officine OGR as an expansion space for GAM, and the renovation of Museo dell'Automobile. He fostered Settembre Musica (later Mito), Torino Danza, Traffic Festival, and the Murarte public art project. From 2013 to 2019, he was President of Accademia Albertina, supporting the renovation of Rotonda del Talucchi and Ipogeo and two editions of FISAD Festival. In 2019, he became President of Castello di Rivoli, a role he held until his death.