Pericle Guaglianone: Italian Artists Should Stop Complaining About Painting

In a critical essay on Artribune, writer Pericle Guaglianone argues that the narrative of painting as a struggling medium in Italy is outdated. He contends that painting has been resurgent for two decades and is now dominant, not merely recovering. Guaglianone criticizes the Italian art world for being slow to acknowledge this shift, often waiting until a trend is fully established before embracing it. He notes that painting is now 'cool and roaring,' and that many former neo-conceptual artists from the 1990s have turned to painting or material-based work. He cites artist Luigi Presicce, who called painting a 'fierce beast' that is hard to cheat. Guaglianone also references historical figures like Philip Guston and Carol Rama, who persisted with painting despite adverse contexts. He concludes that it is no longer time to lament painting's state, even in Italy.