Luca Cerizza appointed curator of Italy Pavilion at 2024 Venice Biennale

Luca Cerizza has been named curator of the Italy Pavilion for the 2024 Venice Biennale Arte, with artist Massimo Bartolini as the protagonist. The appointment follows a public call for applications by the Ministry of Culture, a procedure never before adopted. Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano and Undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi agreed on Cerizza, who will work closely with new Director General Angelo Piero Cappello. Sgarbi described the project as 'difficult to understand,' revolving around 'building community through listening to others,' and stated he will seek clarifications from Cerizza. Cappello will also lead a project on Italian comics and illustrators in collaboration with Igort. Cerizza, born in Milan in 1969, is a critic, art historian, and author of a monograph on Alighiero e Boetti. He curated the 2017 Biennale of Pune in India and has taught at NABA since 2006. He was selected from a shortlist of ten finalists including Lorenzo Balbi, Ilaria Bonacossa, Lucrezia Cippitelli, Jacopo Crivelli Visconti, Ilaria Gianni, Luigia Lonardelli, Luca Lo Pinto, Matteo Lucchetti, and Paola Nicolin. The announcement sparked controversy on social media, with curator Marco Trulli noting the lack of an official ministry press release and the unusual inclusion of Sgarbi's personal opinions.