Giosuè Prezioso's 'Storiə dell’Artə' Challenges Colonial Art History

Giosuè Prezioso, an international curator and educator, has published 'Storiə dell’Artə', a short essay that critiques the colonial and patriarchal biases in art education. The book emerged from his teaching experience in universities worldwide, where he asked students to name the first artist that came to mind. Overwhelmingly, responses were male, white, and Western—Michelangelo, Leonardo, Van Gogh, Picasso. Prezioso's research, drawing on students from over 100 countries, led to a manual that aims to diversify art history. The title uses the schwa (ə) to signal inclusivity, inspired by linguist Vera Gheno, who wrote the preface. The book is interactive, encouraging readers to question established narratives. Prezioso advocates for 'unlearning' and the role of the 'facilitator' over traditional teaching, concepts he encountered at Harvard University. He cites alarming statistics: 89% of museum acquisitions are works by men; only 3.3% of works by women are by non-white women; just 1.67% of art articles reference the LGBTQIA+ community; and about 5.5% of art workers are people with disabilities. The book was presented by Fabio Canino, a LGBTQIA+ activist and TV personality. Prezioso hopes that future education will teach 'stories' or 'storiə' instead of a single, dominant history.