Museums in the Trans-Pandemic Era: Reflections from Italy

Elisabetta Barisoni, a curator and member of the board of the Association of Italian Museums of Contemporary Art (AMACI), reflects on the challenges and transformations faced by Italian cultural institutions during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. She argues that while many rushed to predict a 'joyful Apocalypse' in pre-pandemic society, the real change has been a re-evaluation of the essential role of museums. Italian institutions quickly adapted by launching digital initiatives and participatory projects, learning to leverage technology without replacing the live experience. A visitor at Ca' Pesaro in Venice in June 2021 reminded her that people need museums as places for beauty, emotion, and reflection. Barisoni also notes that the pandemic accelerated existing trends, such as the relationship between humans and technology, and brought issues like #MeToo and cancel culture to the forefront. She looks forward to the art that will emerge from this period. However, just as the world was emerging from the pandemic, the war in Ukraine erupted, creating a new humanitarian and geopolitical crisis. Barisoni draws a parallel with the 1948 Venice Biennale, which aimed to unite humanity through art after World War II. She hopes that the 2022 Biennale Arte will similarly foster a season of humanistic understanding and rebirth. The article was originally published in Grandi Mostre #28 and updated for Artribune.