Vittorio Sgarbi vs Tonelli: heated WhatsApp debate over Palazzo dei Diamanti pavilion

A heated WhatsApp exchange between art critic Vittorio Sgarbi and Artribune director Massimiliano Tonelli reveals deep divisions over a planned pavilion at Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara. The project, won by architecture firm Labics (Francesco Isidori and Maria Claudia Clemente) in an international competition, proposes a 500 sqm reversible structure in the palace's garden. Sgarbi argues the Renaissance masterpiece by Biagio Rossetti is untouchable, comparing it to Piazza San Marco or the Palazzo della Civiltà. Tonelli counters that Italy's heritage has always evolved through stratification, citing the Addizione Erculea itself as a radical urban intervention. Sgarbi invokes experts like Frommel, Portoghesi, Quintavalle, and Riccomini in opposition. Tonelli dismisses the petition against the project as populist fear-mongering. The debate touches on broader issues: the role of superintendents, the ethics of architectural additions, and the upcoming mayoral election in Ferrara (May 2019), which Sgarbi is rumored to be contesting. Tonelli accuses Sgarbi of inconsistency, noting his past opposition to Libeskind's towers in Rome. Sgarbi insists on the dogma of architectural integrity, while Tonelli champions continuous renewal.