James Bradburne's First 100 Days at Brera: A Revolution in Progress
In his initial 100 days as director of the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, James M. Bradburne has implemented notable enhancements, such as a revamped reception area, updated labels, improved lighting, new signage, benches, accessible paths for the visually impaired, a 'family passport', a refreshed website, and a €2 entry fee every Thursday. Formerly the director at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, he aspires to transform Brera into a premier museum. He prioritizes autonomy in management decisions and aims to boost repeat tourism. His stringent loan policy keeps masterpieces in-house while he pursues acquisitions through fundraising efforts. Collaborating with the Accademia di Brera, he is also developing a project for Palazzo Citterio. This interview was conducted by Daniele Perra for Artribune Magazine #33.
Key facts
- James Bradburne became director of Pinacoteca di Brera in 2016.
- In his first 100 days, he introduced new reception, labels, lighting, signage, benches, paths for visually impaired, new layout, family passport, renewed website, and €2 Thursday entry.
- He plans to create a rose of Brera for the garden.
- Bradburne previously directed Palazzo Strozzi and Strozzina in Florence.
- Brera has special autonomy, not needing permission from Rome for most decisions.
- He aims to make Brera a world-class museum like the Met, Hermitage, or British Museum.
- His strategy focuses on repeat tourism and making citizens proud.
- He will not loan masterpieces like Caravaggio, Raphael, and Mantegna except in exceptional cases.
- He is open to acquisitions via fundraising and donations.
- He rents spaces for events, e.g., with Giada during Fashion Week, benefiting the museum.
- He collaborates weekly with all directors of Brera institutions.
- Palazzo Citterio will host modern art and a contemporary culture center.
- He inherited a Trussardi collaboration for uniforms and proposed scarves with 'eyes of Brera'.
- He considers Anselm Kiefer an indispensable contemporary artist.
Entities
Artists
- James M. Bradburne
- Franco Russoli
- Ernst Gombrich
- Franziska Nori
- Caravaggio
- Raphael
- Mantegna
- Francis Bacon
- Damien Hirst
- Antony Gormley
- Mark Rothko
- Lucian Freud
- Anselm Kiefer
- Franco Maria Ricci
- Gaia Trussardi
- Sandrina Bandera
- Marco Galateri
- Antonia Pasqua Recchia
- Dario Franceschini
- Daniele Perra
Institutions
- Pinacoteca di Brera
- Palazzo Strozzi
- Strozzina
- Accademia di Brera
- Palazzo Citterio
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Hermitage Museum
- British Museum
- Frankfurter Kunstverein
- Icom
- Trussardi
- Giada
- Artribune
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Florence
- Rome
- New York
- San Pietroburgo
- London
- Frankfurt