The Centro Italiano Arte Contemporanea (CIAC) in Foligno hosted a conversation between Artvisor founder Piero Tomassoni and artist Gian Maria Tosatti last month. Together, they examined today’s relationship between art and the city. The event was held in conjunction with Tosatti’s site-specific solo installation at CIAC Spazio #09 – Mi Ricordo and his Italian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale History of the Night and Destiny of Comets, of which the CIAC was a Major Supporter.

The dialogue started with an introduction to the Venice Biennale and the architectural entity of the Italian Pavilion as a platform. Tosatti produced the large-scale History of the Night and Destiny of Comets reimagining a post-industrial landscape. Deserted and bleak, the installation signals a prophetic view of looming ecological destruction and takes the audience across the history of Italian industrialisation from the 1960s to the present. The exhibition marked a pivotal moment as it was the first time a single artist was selected to represent Italy at the Biennale.

Tomassoni discussed artists’ role in establishing practical, ethical, and moral connections within the community and how Tosatti has done that in his recent projects across Europe and the Middle East. Systemic issues relating to public administration and funding, private contribution, and the role of museums, foundations, and other entities were also discussed at length, together with each stakeholder’s responsibility in contributing to the proliferation and dissemination of art as a form of education.

Gian Maria Tosatti currently has two major exhibitions in Italy open through July 2023: NOw/here at Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan and Spazio #09 – Mi Ricordo at Centro Italiano Arte Contemporanea in Foligno.