Renato Barilli argues for merging Italian art academies with universities
In an opinion piece on Artribune, critic Renato Barilli advocates for a closer integration between Italian art academies and universities. Noting a boom in enrollments at Bologna's Liceo Artistico Francesco Arcangeli, he argues that graduates should flow into academies, which should shift focus from traditional painting and sculpture—which he believes cannot be taught—to professionalizing fields like photography, video, graphic design, advertising, animation, and wallpaper design in synergy with architecture departments. Barilli, a former DAMS professor at the University of Bologna, recalls proposing this three decades ago and sees a bright future if bureaucratic obstacles are removed, making academy diplomas as socially useful as university degrees.
Key facts
- Bologna's Liceo Artistico Francesco Arcangeli has a boom in enrollments.
- Renato Barilli argues graduates from art high schools should enter academies.
- Barilli believes painting and sculpture cannot be taught and should be free courses.
- He recommends academies focus on professional fields: photography, video, graphic design, advertising, animation.
- Classical decoration could evolve into wallpaper, packaging, wall covering design.
- Architecture left academies for universities in the 1920s but could reconnect with decoration.
- Barilli taught at the DAMS course at the University of Bologna.
- He first proposed these ideas about three decades ago.
- The article was published in Artribune Magazine #65.
- Barilli is a professor emeritus at the University of Bologna.
Entities
Artists
- Renato Barilli
Institutions
- Liceo Artistico Francesco Arcangeli
- University of Bologna
- DAMS
- Artribune Magazine
- Accademie di Belle Arti
- Università di Bologna
Locations
- Bologna
- Italy