Pino Boresta draws parallel between Italian football victory and need to revitalize Italian contemporary art

In a passionate opinion piece on Artribune, artist Pino Boresta uses Italy's 2021 European Championship win as a metaphor for reforming the Italian contemporary art system. He criticizes the English for unsportsmanlike behavior after their defeat, including booing the Italian anthem and leaving before the trophy ceremony, contrasting it with the myth of English fair play. Boresta then pivots to the art world, arguing that just as the Italian national team succeeded by placing the right people (Roberto Mancini, Gabriele Gravina) in key positions, the Italian art system should similarly appoint honest directors free from gallerist and collector influences. He suggests that international attention should shift from declining Young British Artists (YBA) like Damien Hirst to overlooked innovative Italian artists. Boresta laments the persistent mismanagement of Italian art institutions, where personal interests prevail, but finds hope in the example of tennis player Matteo Berrettini, who despite losing to Novak Đoković at Wimbledon, showed that Italian talent can compete globally. He calls for courage to support deserving Italian artists, echoing the football team's spirit. The article is part of Artribune's newsletters (Incanti, Render, PAX) and includes a digital artwork by Boresta titled "E il Fair Play inglese?" and a portrait of Berrettini.