Marco Delogu Blasts Rome's Closure of Fotografia Festival and Commissione Roma
In a 2019 interview with Artribune, photographer Marco Delogu, founder of the Fotografia. Festival internazionale di Roma (2002-2017), criticizes Rome's cultural administration for ending the festival and its Commissione Roma project. Delogu accuses culture councillor Luca Bergamo of lacking responsibility and abandoning a unique photographic heritage. The festival commissioned major photographers—including Josef Koudelka, Martin Parr, Graciela Iturbide, Alec Soth, and Roger Ballen—to create works about Rome, resulting in a civic collection now partially exhibited at Palazzo Braschi until June 16, 2019. Delogu notes the festival's low budget (€50,000 for the festival, €10,000 for the commission) and its international impact. He contrasts the current cultural decline with Rome's vibrant past under mayor Giulio Carlo Argan and culture councillor Renato Nicolini in the 1970s, citing the 1979 Castelporziano Poetry Festival as an inspiration. Delogu expresses hope that the situation will change and new ideas will emerge from the ruins.
Key facts
- Fotografia. Festival internazionale di Roma ran from 2002 to 2017.
- The Commissione Roma project commissioned photographers to document Rome from 2003 to 2017.
- Commissioned photographers include Josef Koudelka (2003), Olivo Barbieri (2004), Anders Petersen (2005), Martin Parr (2006), Graciela Iturbide (2007), Gabriele Basilico (2008), Guy Tillim (2009), Tod Papageorge (2010), Alec Soth (2011), Paolo Ventura (2012), Tim Davis (2013), Marco Delogu (2014), Paolo Pellegrin (2015), Roger Ballen, Jon Rafman, Simon Roberts (2016), Leonie Hampton (2017).
- The festival's budget was approximately €50,000; the commission budget was €10,000.
- A selection of the Commissione Roma collection is on display at Palazzo Braschi, Rome, until June 16, 2019.
- Luca Bergamo was Rome's culture councillor when the festival ended.
- Marco Delogu founded the festival in 2002 and later directed the Italian Cultural Institute in London.
- Delogu compares the current situation unfavorably to Rome's cultural scene under mayor Giulio Carlo Argan and councillor Renato Nicolini.
Entities
Artists
- Marco Delogu
- Josef Koudelka
- Olivo Barbieri
- Anders Petersen
- Martin Parr
- Graciela Iturbide
- Gabriele Basilico
- Guy Tillim
- Tod Papageorge
- Alec Soth
- Paolo Ventura
- Tim Davis
- Paolo Pellegrin
- Roger Ballen
- Jon Rafman
- Simon Roberts
- Leonie Hampton
- Cy Twombly
- Jannis Kounellis
- Francesca Woodman
- Tano D'Amico
- William Klein
- Federico Fellini
- Nanni Moretti
- Michelangelo Antonioni
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Marco Bellocchio
- William S. Burroughs
- Allen Ginsberg
- Lawrence Ferlinghetti
- Gregory Corso
- Yevgeny Yevtushenko
- LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka)
- Zerocalcare
- Matteo Garrone
- Alighiero Boetti
- Alberto Burri
- Maria Lai
- Joseph Kosuth
- Mimmo Rotella
- Pino Pascali
- Carla Accardi
- Giosetta Fioroni
- Mario Schifano
- Enzo Cucchi
- Plinio De Martiis
- Martina Stella
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Don McCullin
- Zanele Muholi
- Massimiliano Tonelli
Institutions
- Fotografia. Festival internazionale di Roma
- Commissione Roma
- Palazzo Braschi
- Artribune
- Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Londra
- Macro Asilo
- Macro via Nizza
- Beat 72
- La Gaia Scienza
- Accademie straniere a Roma
- Biennale di Venezia (Rugoff edition)
- Exibart
- Gambero Rosso
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- Castelporziano
- Ostia
- Mercati di Traiano
- Aventino
- New York City
- United States