Maria Chiara Valacchi: Galleries in Crisis, Lost Intellectual Mission

Maria Chiara Valacchi argues that contemporary art galleries have become commercial enterprises prioritizing economic gain over intellectual and cultural missions. She attributes this to a series of economic crises in the early 21st century, which discouraged short- and medium-term investments, coupled with inadequate tax laws and the state's failure to recognize art as a foundational value. The resulting 'dehumanization' of time has shifted collecting from philanthropy to compulsive gratification. Art fairs now function as supermarkets where works are bought for brand names rather than vision, alienating the public and emptying private spaces. Small and medium galleries are forced into costly fair participation to prove their existence, aligning with exclusive board criteria instead of developing personal languages. The economic gap widens between young galleries burdened by high booth costs and established ones that control market trends. Auctions similarly manipulate the market, treating art like stocks. The gallerist's role has degraded from cultural disseminator to mere re-seller of pre-validated products.