Vittorio Sgarbi Defends Noto Exhibition Works as Authentic

Vittorio Sgarbi, Italian art critic and politician, has penned a fiery defense of 26 artworks seized from the exhibition "L'impossibile è a Noto" in Sicily, arguing they are genuine. The seizure, ordered by deputy prosecutor Fabio Scavone, involved works from a single collection of 20th-century artists including Picasso, Mirò, Dalì, Boccioni, Balla, de Chirico, and Kandinskij. Sgarbi criticizes the intervention of the Carabinieri cultural heritage protection unit and the expertise of Mariastella Margozzi, the court-appointed expert, whom he deems unqualified. He cites a 2019 Rome court ruling that only the artist can determine authenticity, not heirs or foundations. Sgarbi notes that collector Massimo Carpi acquired the works at major auctions and reputable galleries, and many have been exhibited internationally. He highlights that a Paul Klee work is catalogued by the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, and a Picasso drawing is reproduced in a 1982 monograph. Sgarbi accuses Margozzi of incompetence, pointing to her lack of publications on artists like Mirò and Kandinskij. He calls the seizure an illegitimate act of arrogance, asserting that the "fake" works are all authentic.