Naples' Cultural Renaissance: Art, Architecture, and Public Space in 2007
Naples underwent a cultural transformation in the 2000s, driven by mayor Antonio Bassolino and regional president from 2000, with advisor Achille Bonito Oliva. The MADRe museum, designed by Alvaro Siza, opened as the city's first contemporary art museum, directed by Eduardo Cicelyn. The Metro dell'Arte line (2001-2003) integrated works by artists like Cucchi, Paladino, and Kosuth with architecture by Gae Aulenti and Alessandro Mendini. Public commissions at Piazza del Plebiscito featured Mimmo Paladino, Anish Kapoor, Rebecca Horn, and others. The PAN (Palazzo delle Arti di Napoli), directed by Julia Draganovic, launched thematic exhibitions. Private galleries like Lucio Amelio, Lia Rumma, and Alfonso Artiaco collaborated with public institutions. The Museo di Capodimonte, under Nicola Spinosa, continued showing contemporary art, supported by collector Graziella Lonardi Buontempo. The Teatro San Carlo, directed by Gioacchino Lanza Tomasi, commissioned sets from artists like David Hockney and Anselm Kiefer. The LA.NA. association promoted reportage photography. Daniel Buren created a public fountain for the Arin water company in Ponticelli. Naples positioned itself as a European cultural capital.
Key facts
- Antonio Bassolino was mayor of Naples from 1993 and president of Campania from 2000.
- Achille Bonito Oliva advised on cultural projects including the Metro dell'Arte.
- MADRe (Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina Napoli) opened as the first contemporary art museum in Naples.
- Alvaro Siza renovated MADRe.
- The Metro dell'Arte line was built from 2001 to 2003.
- Piazza del Plebiscito hosted installations by Mimmo Paladino, Anish Kapoor, Rebecca Horn, Joseph Kosuth, Mario Merz, and Jenny Holzer.
- Eduardo Cicelyn directed MADRe.
- Graziella Lonardi Buontempo lent works to Capodimonte and commissioned Daniel Buren for Arin.
- Julia Draganovic succeeded Lorand Hegyi as director of PAN.
- The Teatro San Carlo commissioned sets from David Hockney, Anselm Kiefer, Mimmo Paladino, and Giulio Paolini.
- Daniel Buren created a fountain for Arin in Ponticelli in 2004.
- LA.NA. (Laboratorio napoletano) focused on reportage photography.
- Mario Spada was a photographer and head of LA.NA.
- Naples was described as 'porous' by Walter Benjamin.
Entities
Artists
- Mimmo Paladino
- Anish Kapoor
- Rebecca Horn
- Joseph Kosuth
- Mario Merz
- Jenny Holzer
- Cucchi
- Perino e Vele
- Pisani
- Rotella
- Sargenti
- Mimmo Jodice
- De Maria
- Sol LeWitt
- Ontani
- Spalletti
- Zorio
- Gae Aulenti
- Alessandro Mendini
- Domenico Orlacchio
- Alvaro Siza
- Francesco Clemente
- Luciano Fabro
- Jeff Koons
- Jannis Kounellis
- Giulio Paolini
- Richard Serra
- Richard Long
- Marisa Merz
- Antony Gormley
- Closky
- Piero Manzoni
- Daniel Buren
- David Hockney
- Anselm Kiefer
- Pier Luigi Pizzi
- Alberto Burri
- Andy Warhol
- Joseph Beuys
- Raffaela Mariniello
- Paul Thorel
- Mario Spada
- Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Walter Benjamin
Institutions
- MADRe (Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina Napoli)
- Metro dell'Arte
- PAN (Palazzo delle Arti di Napoli)
- Museo di Capodimonte
- Teatro San Carlo
- LA.NA. (Laboratorio napoletano)
- Fondazione Napoli 99
- Incontri Internazionali d'Arte
- Accademia di Francia a Roma
- Arin
- Galleria Lucio Amelio
- Galleria Lia Rumma
- Galleria Alfonso Artiaco
- Studio Trisorio
- Galleria T.293
- Galleria Fonti
- Galleria Paola Guadagnino
- Galleria Capodimonte
- Comune di Napoli
- Regione Campania
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Piazza del Plebiscito
- Piazza Dante
- Vanvitelli
- Ponticelli
- Rome
- Turin
- Capodimonte
- MADRe, Via Settembrini, 79
- Galleria Alfonso Artiaco, Piazza Martiri, 58
- Galleria Lia Rumma, Via Gaetani Vannella, 12
- Studio Laura Trisorio, Riviera di Chiaia, 215
- Galleria T.293, Piazza G. Amendola, 4
- Galleria Fonti, Via Chiaia, 229
Sources
- artpress —