I would prefer an act, not for art in the abstract sense but for those who try to live it, without much success. To truly nurture democratic processes, not just with words, those who work in the art world, first of all, need to be able to economically support themselves with art. Today in Italy art is often a luxury plaything for collectors, or simply a luxury for the artists who can afford not to have other jobs. For critics and curators it is usually a profession where job security and decent pay are lacking. In a moment of economic crisis like this one art follows the negative trend of other sectors. After the grande bouffe nothing is left to eat. The mayor Gianni Alemanno has indicated that the salaries of municipal employees will be at risk in the months to come. If a structure like the Arts Council existed to hand out funds to support artists, their projects and non-profit associations in a transparent way, it would be possible to imagine forms of alternative financing with respect to the present situation. I don’t think the forms of government represent anything anymore, yet they continue to run the show. This is a typically Italian cultural problem.
There is a basic hypocrisy in the management of non-profit entities, as if the people who work in this context didn’t have to live on the work they do. What is needed is to start, first of all, by quantifying the time and energy expended in economic terms. My experience in the non-profit sector has been negative. As often happens, the incentives are there in theory, but in practice each passage is arduous and demotivating. An economically unfeasible activity. No one should go on accepting the exploitation of ideas and free labor. In other countries no artist would put up with working on projects with no budget and no compensation, as happens here in Italy. The lack of professionalism encountered at times in the Italian art world depends on the fact that it is a world without any security, with the exception of a very small minority. Now the situation has gotten even worse. Italian art magazines pay nothing, which is why I no longer write for Flash Art.Through the constitution of a Commission in Rome, an attempt has been made to establish relations with the present politicians and administrators, but it is hard to make an ongoing commitment to this activity, because it subtracts time from work that pays. Economic recognition is the basis for any democratic process of professional dignity. This is true for all the operators in the sector.
When politicians think artists should feel honored to be invited into a museum, and when everyone seems to agree with this distortion, it is clear that there is an idea of culture seen not as a service for the citizenry, but as a form of entertainment. Unfortunately I don’t know how it might be possible to turn the situation around. Maybe we should move some people to Mars, to reduce the throng that gathers to try to get the few positions as director or curator, or to get a residency! Joking aside, the situation is really a difficult one.
MARIA ROSA SOSSAI
Art critic and curator.
In 2012 founded the ALA (Free Academy of Arts), an education/formation platform for contemporary art. Lives and works in Rome.