Mart employees demand Sgarbi's resignation over coronavirus comments

All 43 employees of the Mart museum in Rovereto have signed an open letter calling for the resignation of president Vittorio Sgarbi after he posted a video on Facebook dismissing the coronavirus as a hoax. The staff argue that Sgarbi's conduct violates the decorum and responsibility expected of a cultural institution's leader. The letter, addressed to provincial president Maurizio Fugatti, assessor Mirko Bisesti, and the provincial government of Trentino, demands a stable directorship and programming. The museum's director Gianfranco Maraniello's term expires in May and he is expected to be replaced by internal administrator Diego Ferretti. Sgarbi has responded by filing a legal complaint against the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and various media outlets for alleged false communications and public alarm. A Change.org petition has also been launched against Sgarbi's vulgarity. Sgarbi, an art critic, parliamentarian elected in 2018 with the Rinascimento list, and president of the Fondazione Canova in Possagno, was recently appointed to lead the Mart, designed by architect Mario Botta with a transparent dome in the Adige Valley.