L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano Young Italians and the arts: a talk with curator Massimiliano Gioni Artistic director of the New M u s e u m i n N e w Y o r k s i n c e 2 0 0 7 a n d o f t h e N i c o l a Trussardi Foundation in Milan since 2003, among other pro- fessional experiences and pro- jects, Massimiliano Gioni was the youngest curator ever of the 55 th Venice Biennale in 2013. Living between the U.S. and Italy - where he was born in 1 9 7 3 a n d g r a d u a t e d i n A r t History from the University of B o l o g n a , a f t e r s t u d y i n g t w o years in Canada -, he shares his passion for contemporary art with his wife Cecilia Alemani, d i r e c t o r o f t h e N e w Y o r k ' s High Line Art. Massimiliano, how did you approach the world of con- temporary art? I was studying for my eight- grade exam and got my hands on Lucy Lippard's book Pop A r t . T h o s e i m a g e s s t r u c k a c h o r d , p r o b a b l y e v e n m o r e b e c a u s e I w a s s o y o u n g a n d receptive to nonverbal commu- nication. This is art's greatest power. Do you believe that con- temporary art is more diffi- cult to understand and appre- c i a t e t h a n , f o r e x a m p l e , Classicism? Looking at a work of art that portrays something "real" or simply familiar, we feel more c o m f o r t a b l e a n d c a p a b l e o f reading it. Most times, this is just an illusion. Contemporary art, on the contrary, put us up against our own ignorance in a very honest fashion, which is always a good exercise. I s t h e r e a d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y art's audience in Italy and the U.S.? The Americans are in many ways more curious and open- minded than the Europeans, and s o l e s s i n t i m i d a t e d b y n e w f o r m s o f a r t . A s a m a t t e r o f fact, Italy has recently experi- enced an exciting development o f d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f p u b l i c , who sometimes see contempo- rary art as a lifestyle or cultural trend. Yet all reasons are legiti- m a t e , a s a r t h i s t o r i a n E r n s t Gombrich said "There are no wrong reasons for liking a piece of art, but only wrong reasons for not liking it." What are the experiences you're most attached to? Certainly curating big exhi- bitions like the Biennale has made an impact on my career. But perhaps what I enjoy the m o s t i s s t i l l t h e p e r s o n a l encounter with a work of art or a n a r t i s t , w h i c h i r o n i c a l l y b e c o m e s l e s s f r e q u e n t a n d enjoyable as part of the job rou- tine. Are you working on any p a r t i c u l a r p r o j e c t s a t p r e - sent? THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 4 SILVIA SIMONETTI In late August, the exhibi- tion "La Grande Madre" will open in Milan, linked to Expo 2015. Organized by Fondazione Trussardi, which is a sort of traveling museum, it will be hosted by the prestigious venue of Palazzo Reale and dedicated to the social and sexual trans- formation of the woman/mother since 1900 until today, through the works of about 130 interna- tional artists. S o y o u r t i e s w i t h I t a l y remain strong, despite having settled in NY. A b s o l u t e l y . W i t h Fondazione Trussardi I usually c r e a t e a t l e a s t a c o u p l e o f exhibits in Milan every year, but living and working in the U.S. has definitely benefited my career. How do you like working with the New Museum and how do you select the artists to invite? T h e N e w M u s e u m i s e x t r e m e l y i n n o v a t i v e , n o t another institutional and formal m u s e u m t h a t p r e s e r v e s a r t - w o r k s , r a t h e r a n a r t c e n t e r where new ideas are created. Its c o n c e p t i s t o p r e s e n t y o u n g artists as well as established ones, who for some reason still haven't had the opportunity to stand out with a solo exhibition. The city is a crucial variable when selecting the artists, as it is the historical and cultural j u n c t u r e . I n S e p t e m b e r , L o s Angeles-based artist Jim Shaw will showcase his works, along with his collections of second- hand paintings and religious pedagogical materials, in a very i n t e r e s t i n g i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f American art tradition. You and Cecilia have been defined "art world's first cou- ple." Is it easy to be partners in both business and life? It's actually less glamorous than it seems! Of course there are many positive aspects, such a s d i s c u s s i n g i d e a s a n d exchanging opinions or some advice on each other's work. At the same time, it can be hard to p r e v e n t o u r p r o f e s s i o n f r o m constantly entering the private dimension. We're lucky to love so much what we do! Massimiliano Gioni, Artistic Director at the New Museum in New York, lies under Chris Burden's One Ton Crane Truck, 2013. Courtesy New Museum, New York. Photo by Jesse Untract-Oakner Massimiliano Gioni. Photo Marco D e S c a l z i C o u r t e s y F o n d a z i o n e Nicola Trussardi, Milano

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