Massimiliano Scuderi Curates 76th Premio Michetti with 'Group Shows Kill the Group'

Massimiliano Scuderi made his debut as curator of the 76th Premio Michetti in Francavilla, Italy, one of Italy's longest-running art prizes, under new president Pier Luigi Sacco. Despite only six weeks to organize, Scuderi transformed constraints into opportunity with a provocative exhibition titled 'Group shows kill the group,' borrowed from a letter by artist Les Levine. The show features 25 Millennial artists, each given a dedicated space with multiple works, effectively creating a series of mini-solos rather than a traditional group show. The exhibition spreads across five venues: Fondazione Michetti, Ipogeo, MUMI, Torre Ciarrapico, Chiesa di San Bernardino, Mercato Coperto, Lido Marinella, and Piazza San Domenico. For the first time, the prize includes multimedia and performance, with winners Michela De Mattei & Invernomuto (video 'Paraflu') and Caterina De Nicola (sculpture 'Roberspierre'), plus mentions for Sergio Limonta and Angelo Mosca. Scuderi selected artists based on their engagement with Object-Oriented Ontology and a focus on objects over anthropocentrism. Four 'outsider' artists—Maurizio Mercuri, Angelo Mosca, Sergio Limonta, Lorenzo Scotto di Luzio—were included for their influence on younger peers. The 77th edition in 2025 will be international, with multiple curators and site-specific productions using local artisans to foster community regeneration.