Giuseppe Galasso, historian and former Biennale president, dies at 88

Giuseppe Galasso, a prominent Italian historian and former president of the Venice Biennale, died at his home in Pozzuoli at age 88. Born in Naples in 1929, he was a professor of modern history at Suor Orsola Benincasa University in Naples and a journalist for Corriere della Sera. He served as undersecretary of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage under Bettino Craxi's governments in 1983 and 1987. His political legacy includes the 1985 'Legge Galasso,' Italy's first law protecting cultural heritage and the environment. Galasso was president of the Venice Biennale from 1979 to 1982, succeeding Carlo Ripa di Meana. During his tenure, the 1980 Biennale featured the first 'Aperto ’80' section, curated by Achille Bonito Oliva and Harald Szeemann, held at the former Salt Warehouses in Dorsoduro. This section debuted the Transavanguardia movement artists Sandro Chia, Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi, Nicola De Maria, and Mimmo Paladino. Current Biennale president Paolo Baratta expressed condolences, noting that under Galasso, the Biennale launched Aperto, the Strada Novissima by Paolo Portoghesi for the Architecture Biennale, and revived the Film Festival under Carlo Lizzani.