(by Amalia Angotti) The Castello di Rivoli, a jewel of contemporary art on the outskirts of Turin, turns 40 and looks to the future with the aim of increasing the number of visitors (last year there were almost 120,000) and increasingly entering the heart of the public.
A museum that must not be perceived as elitist and must "embed art in civil society, making it visible, relevant and significant", explains Francesco Manacorda, who took over the reins of Castello di Rivoli at the end of 2023 after having held the position of director ten years ago of Artissima and then of Tate Liverpool.
Help for the many projects could come from Rivoli's candidacy as the Italian capital of contemporary art.
A million euro opportunity, foreseen by the government's latest budget, for which the tender is awaited.
"The museum has clear duties towards the public, the artists and the culture of which it is an instrument. It must build around itself a community of people who understand, interpret and participate in artistic innovations. It must accompany the public in the discovery of unknown terrains and offer young artists a springboard " explains Manacorda who takes over from Carolyn Christov-Barkagiev.
To attract more audiences, the new director is thinking of "a program not for insiders" and a greater inclusion of the Castle in the circuit of Savoy residences.
He does not rule out the possibility of a return to catering and is aware of the logistics problems in Turin awaiting the completion of the metro (the inauguration has been postponed to 2025).
"With the entry of the new director, Castello di Rivoli confirms its identity in the international artistic context with extremely high quality programming. The Castle is unique and aims to be a point of reference for an increasingly wider public" states Francesca Lavazza, president of the museum.
The new season of the Castello, born around ArtePovera, opens at the end of April with the retrospective dedicated to Rossella Biscotti and, at the same time, the exhibition 'Paolo Pelliondi Persano.
The simple story of a photographer'.
In the autumn, various projects linked to the 40 years of the Museum will start and the monumental installation of Gabriel Orozco's work will be presented.
At the end of October, in conjunction with Artissima, the first major exhibition project curated by Manacorda 'Mutual Aid - Art in collaboration with nature', an exhibition involving artists who have worked on the ecological issue since the 1960s.
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