Villa Croce Museum in Genoa Closes Amid Management Crisis
On January 18, 2018, Villa Croce, the contemporary art museum in Genoa, shut its doors due to unmanageable expenses and a decline in visitor attendance, according to Open S.r.l., the managing concessionaire. This decision came after Carlo Antonelli was appointed curator following a selection process by Fondazione Palazzo Ducale in May 2017. The museum's troubles began in 2010 when gallerists Antonella Berruti and Francesca Pennone called for a qualified curator, concerned about director Sandra Solimano's impending retirement. Solimano stepped down in 2011 due to budget cuts. The city contemplated selling the museum to Multicon Holding. Although Ilaria Bonacossa emerged from a 2012 curator competition, funding withdrawal in 2015 led to Open S.r.l.'s management and subsequent financial losses, resulting in the museum's closure.
Key facts
- Villa Croce closed on January 18, 2018, due to high costs and low visitors.
- Open S.r.l., the service concessionaire, reported unsustainable management costs.
- Carlo Antonelli became curator in early 2018 after winning a national tender.
- A 2010 petition by gallerists demanded a qualified curator for the museum.
- Sandra Solimano resigned in 2011 after 80% budget cut, leaving €20,000 for programming.
- Multicon Holding proposed a parking lot in exchange for museum management in 2011.
- Ilaria Bonacossa was curator from 2012, supported by Fondazione Garrone until 2015.
- Open S.r.l. won a tender for museum services in 2015, despite no prior experience.
- The museum's collection includes over 4,000 works, many by obscure artists.
- The city may transfer official Francesca Serrati away from the museum.
Entities
Artists
- Bertrand Lavier
- Carlo Antonelli
- Anna Daneri
- Ilaria Bonacossa
- Sandra Solimano
- Guido Giubbini
- Antonella Berruti
- Francesca Pennone
- Luca Bizzarri
- Luca Borzani
- Carla Sibilla
- Elisa Serafini
- Francesca Serrati
- Riccardo Garrone
- Alessandro Garrone
- Paolo Corradi
- Vincenzi
- Doria
- Bucci
- Claire Fontaine
- Mario Mondini
- Andrea Fustinoni
- Elena Piazza
- Paola Inconis
- Alessia Morglia
- Stefano Arienti
Institutions
- Villa Croce
- Pinksummer Contemporary Art
- Open S.r.l.
- Fondazione Palazzo Ducale
- Fondazione Garrone
- Multicon Holding
- Gruppo Liguria Infrastrutture – Consorzio Regionale Grandi Opere
- Coeclerici
- Carige
- Costa Crociere
- Amici di Villa Croce
- Comune di Genova
- Artribune
- Rolling Stone
- Wired
- GQ
- Secolo XIX
- Open
- AmiXi di Villa Croce
- Palazzo Ducale Fondazione per la Cultura
- AMACI
- Museo d’arte contemporanea Villa Croce
- MAN Nuoro
- Ministero dei Beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo
Locations
- Genoa
- Italy
- Villa Croce
- Erzelli
- Topolinia
- Paris
- Nuoro