Pino Boresta denounces art fairs as useless and recounts harassment at Roma Arte in Nuvola

Italian artist Pino Boresta published a polemical text on Artribune arguing that contemporary art fairs have become useless for journalists, galleries, critics, collectors, artists, and the public. He recounts specific incidents at Artissima 2024 in Turin, where hostesses were instructed to remove his free books, and at Roma Arte in Nuvola, where he was followed by security, denied entry despite having VIP passes, and had his personal details taken by plainclothes police officers. Boresta claims the harassment stemmed from his L.C.A. (Libri in Cerca d'Autore) project, which involved donating small artworks and books. He compares his treatment to that of Sylvester Stallone as a 'sorvegliato speciale' and draws parallels to the cases of Giulio Regeni and police brutality in the US. Boresta declares the end of his clandestine book-crossing project, stating he will no longer disturb fairs with his works. The text also references his past participation at Artverona in 2019 and a residency at MACRO Asilo invited by Giorgio de Finis. He questions whether smaller fairs like Flash Back, The Others, and List Art Basel might overshadow major ones, drawing a parallel to the Salon des Refusés.