Roberto Ago: Italian Curators and Artists Are Incompetent

In a series of critical lessons, Roberto Ago launches a scathing attack on the Italian contemporary art system, accusing curators and artists of widespread incompetence. He cites the exhibition 'That’s IT!' at MAMbo in Bologna (October 2018) and the 7th edition of the Premio Fabbri as paradigmatic cases of poor professionalism. Ago argues that the works rely on verbose didactics rather than visual quality, with artists producing politically engaged but aesthetically weak pieces. He criticizes curator Lorenzo Balbi for responding to his critique, breaking a code of silence. Ago singles out works by Ruth Beraha, Danilo Correale, Elena Mazzi, IOCOSE, Giulio Delvè, and Margherita Moscardini as examples of mediocrity, while praising Ludovica Carbotta's installation as the only work of international caliber. He also lambasts the exhibition catalog for its sociological jargon and lack of aesthetic discourse. Ago draws on Giancarlo Politi's concept of 'wild curators' who prioritize personal agendas over public and artistic value. The text is part of a broader critique of the Italian art scene, which Ago deems incapable of self-reflection and dominated by a 'narrative turn' that prioritizes statements over art.