Sergio Risaliti on Florence's cultural battles and Museo Novecento's 2022 plans

In an interview with Artribune, Sergio Risaliti, director of Museo Novecento in Florence, criticizes a 'caste of pseudo-intellectuals' he claims is blocking urban transformation and contemporary art interventions in the city. He accuses them of ideological conservatism disguised as progressivism, opposing projects like the F-Light festival, a Ferris wheel at Fortezza da Basso, and the Costa San Giorgio hotel development. Risaliti argues that these critics attack private sponsors while accepting large ads for Coca-Cola and fashion brands on historic buildings. He defends the museum's role since 2014 in bringing contemporary art to Florence, noting its expansion into Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, and other venues. For 2022, the museum plans exhibitions on Filippo De Pisis, Giulio Paolini, Luca Vitone (March), Rä di Martino at Forte di Belvedere (June), Emiliano Maggi at Museo Bardini, a Giacometti-Fontana comparison, the third edition of the Rinascimento+ prize, and two Henry Moore sculptures in Piazza Signoria. The museum also participates in the Settimana del Contemporaneo in September alongside Fondazione Strozzi's Olafur Eliasson show and the Biennale Internazionale dell'Antiquariato. Risaliti highlights the Santa Maria Novella district as a unique cultural hub with the Museo della Lingua Italiana, new hotels, galleries, and the future Museo del Trenino. He expresses continued motivation to lead the museum for the coming years.