Segno Magazine Turns 40: Interview with Founder Lucia Spadano
The Italian art magazine Segno, founded in 1976 by Lucia Spadano and Umberto Sala, celebrates its 40th anniversary. Spadano recounts the magazine's origins in Pescara, a city that became a hub for contemporary art in the 1970s, with figures like Mario Merz, Joseph Beuys, and Achille Bonito Oliva. Despite limited resources and no internet, Segno established a national and international network, covering exhibitions and artists across Italy and abroad. The magazine has maintained editorial independence and a focus on critical information. It also created the Segno d'Oro award, a sculpture by Luigi Ontani, given to artists like Costas Varotsos and Nunzio. Spadano reflects on changes in art criticism and the role of print media in the digital age, noting that her son Roberto Sala now handles the online presence.
Key facts
- Segno magazine was founded in 1976 by Lucia Spadano and Umberto Sala in Pescara, Italy.
- The title was inspired by Umberto Eco's 1973 semiology book.
- Pescara in the 1970s was a vibrant art scene with galleries and artists like Mario Merz, Joseph Beuys, and Michelangelo Pistoletto.
- Segno's first issue featured a performance by Gina Pane, reviewed by Spadano.
- The magazine collaborated with critics such as Achille Bonito Oliva, Filiberto Menna, and Pierre Restany.
- Segno has been online since 1995, but Spadano emphasizes the enduring value of print.
- The Segno d'Oro award, a sculpture by Luigi Ontani, has been given to Costas Varotsos and Nunzio.
- Spadano regrets not writing an article defending Segno against insults from a major Italian publication.
Entities
Artists
- Lucia Spadano
- Umberto Sala
- Mario Merz
- Gino De Dominicis
- Joseph Beuys
- Luciano Fabro
- Vincenzo Agnetti
- Mario Schifano
- Michelangelo Pistoletto
- Jannis Kounellis
- Luigi Ontani
- Gilberto Zorio
- Ettore Spalletti
- Franco Summa
- Andrea Pazienza
- Enzo Cucchi
- Giosetta Fioroni
- Carla Accardi
- Gina Pane
- Marina Abramovic
- Ulay
- Aldo Mondino
- Marco Gastini
- Mimmo Paladino
- Emilio Vedova
- Emilio Prini
- Vettor Pisani
- Piero Gilardi
- Elio Marcheggiani
- Nagasawa
- Bernar Venet
- Ben Vautier
- Orlan
- Cesar
- Costas Varotsos
- Nunzio
- Toni Ferro
- Francesco Guerrieri
- Franco Cicconi
- Stefano Fumagalli
- Graziella Leonardi
- Chia
- Clemente
- De Maria
- Amparo Sard
- Mario Pieroni
- Lucrezia De Domizio
Institutions
- Segno
- Artribune
- Flash Art
- Data
- Arte Mondadori
- Bolaffi Arte
- NAC – Notiziario Arte Contemporanea
- Marcatre
- Art Dimension
- Tra
- La città di Riga
- Expo Arte di Bari
- Arte Fiera di Bologna
- Art Basel
- Art Cologne
- FIAC
- Art Brussels
- Arco
- Art Athina
- Documenta 6
- Galleria Françoise Lambert
- Bruno Bischofberger
- Albert Baronian
- Juana De Aizpuru
- Ileana Tounta
- Leo Castelli
- Ugo Ferranti
- Giuliana De Crescenzo
- Fabio Sargentini
- Pio Monti
- Cleto Polcina
- Margherita Failoni (il Ponte)
- La Salita
- La Tartaruga
- Lia Rumma
- Pasquale Trisorio
- Lucio Amelio
- Dina Carola
- Peppe Morra
- Christian Stein
- Giorgio Persano
- Franz Paludetto
- Gian Enzo Sperone
- Marilena Bonomo
- Claudia Gian Ferrari
- Mario Diacono
- Massimo Minini
- Associazione Convergenze
- Corriere della Sera
- MAXXI
- ARCO Madrid
Locations
- Pescara
- Italy
- Torino
- Turin
- Palermo
- Abruzzo
- Roma
- Rome
- Napoli
- Naples
- Milano
- Milan
- Genova
- Genoa
- Bologna
- Brescia
- Venezia
- Venice
- Trieste
- Bari
- Catania
- Cagliari
- Spagna
- Spain
- Francia
- France
- Belgio
- Belgium
- Austria
- Grecia
- Greece
- Stati Uniti
- United States
- Basilea
- Switzerland
- Colonia
- Germany
- Parigi
- Bruxelles
- Madrid
- Atene
- Kassel
- Acireale
- Lanciano
- Parma
- Riga
- Latvia
- L'Aquila