Italian Government's Control Over Arts Sparks Controversy

A high-profile Futurism exhibition in Rome faced backlash after the culture ministry replaced original scholars with new appointees, leading to claims of glorification of Italy's Fascist past.

In December, Rome's National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art hosted a much-anticipated exhibition focused on Futurism, a pivotal movement in 20th-century art. However, the event's inauguration was marked by the absence of several Futurist experts who had been involved in curating the show. Earlier this year, officials from the culture ministry dismissed these scholars and appointed replacements, leading to allegations that the exhibition aimed to romanticize the era of Mussolini's regime.

One of the dismissed scholars, Massimo Duranti, lamented that he and others were abruptly cut from the project, stating, “I was told, ‘arrivederci’ — you never existed.” In contrast, Massimo Osanna, the director of Italy’s state museums, asserted that the committee's changes were not ideologically driven; instead, they sought to explore “an extraordinary era from many points of view.”

The exhibition planning had initially been prioritized by Gennaro Sangiuliano, previously the culture minister, whose term ended amidst personal controversies. Sangiuliano's appointment stemmed from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing administration, with ties to Italy's post-Fascist political legacy. Critics argue that the current direction of the exhibit reflects an unsettling trend of state-backed historical reinterpretation that aligns with modern nationalist sentiments.