Gianni De Michelis: The Politician Who Championed Italian Art Abroad
Laura Cherubini reflects on her bond with Gianni De Michelis, the Italian politician and art enthusiast who passed away in 2019. In 1978, De Michelis was elected to the Venice city council and went on to hold various significant positions, including Minister of State Holdings, Minister of Labor, and Deputy Prime Minister. He initiated the 'Giacimenti culturali' project and appointed Manuela Gandini, an art critic, as cultural advisor. De Michelis was instrumental in showcasing Italian artists in New York, featuring Michelangelo Pistoletto at PS1 and Mario Merz at the Guggenheim in 1988. He also served on the boards of both PS1 and the Guggenheim, reformed Italian Cultural Institutes abroad, and founded the World Art Forum, aiding artist Jannis Kounellis in obtaining Italian citizenship.
Key facts
- Laura Cherubini met Gianni De Michelis in 1978 in Venice at the home of collectors Gabriella and Attilio Codognato.
- De Michelis served as Minister of State Holdings, Minister of Labor, and Deputy Prime Minister of Italy.
- As Labor Minister, he launched the 'Giacimenti culturali' project to promote cultural heritage as an economic resource.
- He appointed Manuela Gandini as his cultural advisor when he became Deputy Prime Minister.
- De Michelis organized exhibitions of Michelangelo Pistoletto at PS1 and Mario Merz at the Guggenheim in New York in 1988.
- He supported the 1985 exhibition 'The Knot. Arte Povera at PS1' curated by Germano Celant.
- De Michelis was on the boards of PS1 and the Guggenheim, and worked with directors Alanna Heiss and Thomas Krens.
- He helped bring Ileana Sonnabend's collection to the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome.
- As Foreign Minister, he reformed Italian Cultural Institutes, appointing directors such as Paolo Fabbri in Paris and Furio Colombo in New York.
- He conceived the World Art Forum, first held in Venice.
- De Michelis helped secure Italian citizenship for artist Jannis Kounellis.
- He was friends with artists Gino De Dominicis and Sergio Lombardo.
- He suggested artist Paola Pivi ask Muammar Gaddafi for the Libyan desert for her project.
- De Michelis provided a photo with Gary Hart for Aleksandra Mir's art project.
Entities
Artists
- Laura Cherubini
- Gianni De Michelis
- Gabriella Codognato
- Attilio Codognato
- Barbara Foscari
- Tonci Foscari
- Leo Castelli
- Ileana Sonnabend
- Robert Rauschenberg
- Francesca Barnabò
- Carla Accardi
- Jannis Kounellis
- Alighiero Boetti
- Tony Cragg
- Antonio Foscari
- Manuela Gandini
- Michelangelo Pistoletto
- Mario Merz
- Germano Celant
- Camilla Nesbitt
- Gino De Dominicis
- Kiki Smith
- Alanna Heiss
- Thomas Krens
- Nino Castagnoli
- Rosa Maria Letts
- Paolo Fabbri
- Furio Colombo
- Fiamma Nirenstein
- Francesco Villari
- Vittorio Strada
- Paola Pivi
- Aleksandra Mir
- Sergio Lombardo
- Gary Hart
Institutions
- PS1
- Guggenheim Museum New York
- Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna (GNAM)
- Accademia Italiana
- Italian Cultural Institutes
- World Art Forum
- MoMA
- Artribune
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- New York
- United States
- Paris
- France
- Tel Aviv
- Israel
- London
- United Kingdom
- Moscow
- Russia
- Rome
- Queens
- Alicudi
- Libya
- Iraq
- Mesopotamia