Museums reopening: the imperative to focus on contemporary art

Marco Bazzini argues that as Italian museums prepare to reopen after COVID-19 lockdowns, they should draw lessons from the post-WWII period when cultural policy prioritized updating the public on international aesthetic research. The 1948 Venice Biennale, which first presented Peggy Guggenheim's collection, was a pioneer, but already in December 1944, Palma Bucarelli at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna organized a contemporary art exhibition featuring the most modern Italian artists. Bazzini warns against repeating the same approach 75 years later, as the public has been exposed to online content during isolation and will have different expectations. He calls for a shift from 'toward the public' to 'with the public', making museums places of conversation. He emphasizes the potential of Italian contemporary art, urging institutions to support local artists and avoid the historical neglect of entire generations. He proposes a collective intelligence to reassess the recent Italian art scene, involving AMACI, the Ministry of Culture (Franceschini), regions, municipalities, foundations, galleries, banks, academies, ISIA, research centers, universities, and non-profits. He advocates for a systemic project that includes public engagement and mobility between cities.