Ludovico Pratesi Examines Italy's Abandonment of Contemporary Art in New Book

Ludovico Pratesi's new book "Perché l'Italia non ama più l'arte contemporanea" argues that Italy has turned its back on contemporary art, contrasting its 19th-century support—when the Venice Biennale was launched and works by Klimt, Rodin, and Chagall were acquired—with today's neglect. Italian artists like Alberto Burri and Alighiero Boetti are now promoted by foreign museums, and Maurizio Cattelan has never had a retrospective in Italy. Pratesi blames political indifference, citing Antonio Paolucci's remark "Italian art stops at Tiepolo" and Giulio Tremonti's "you can't eat culture." He notes that the Venice Biennale generates over €20 million for the city. The absence of world-class museums comparable to Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, or Reina Sofia has left Italy perceived as a nation of the past. Pratesi calls for a strategic system involving the Biennale, Quadriennale, MiBACT's Directorate for Contemporary Art, and AMACI, alongside private foundations like those of Miuccia Prada and Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. He praises Florence's contemporary art initiatives under Nardella and Risaliti but urges site-specific works to build a permanent collection. The interview also covers the Venice Biennale's Italian Pavilion, the decline of Italian artists in international exhibitions, and positive assessments of new directors Cristiana Collu (ex-GNAM), Lorenzo Balbi (MAMbo), and Andrea Bruciati (Tivoli).