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On MiArt’s eve director of the fair Vincenzo De Bellis in dialogue with Conceptual Fine Arts

foto de bellis

 

Tomorrow MiArt 2014 will open to the invited visitors, but as recently often happens – and probably also thanks to the preview available on Artsy – many of the best artworks have been already promised to the main collectors. We have met director Vincenzo De Bellis who, in just two years, has turned a provincial art fair into one of the place-to-be for the new international contemporary art scene.

 

Where would you pinpoint the strengths of MiArt 2014?

 

To start with, I would say the high quality of the participating galleries, which has certainly improved since last year. There will be a lot of monographic booths, from Mario Schifano to Oscar Tuazon. The international galleries will be sixty, ten more than last year.

 

What do you mean by “quality”?

 

In modern art it all depends on the place occupied by the artist within the art history.

 

What about young ones?

 

An attempt to buy is enough to get a sense of it. After a few requests, even a beginner would realize how hard it is to purchase pieces by the best artists at the moment.

 

A lot of people believe that there are too many art fairs in Italy. Do you agree with them?

 

Yes, I do indeed. But I also think that Milan is the heart of art in Italy, the best city where to hold a fair. It is where most of the galleries, as well as collectors and artists, are to be found.

 

How do you think art fairs will develop in the future?

 

The big ones will always be big while the smaller ones will become more and more specialized and indeed addressed to satisfy local demands. Some people believe that art fairs will actually lessen. I don’t agree with that. On the contrary, I think that the number will grow in the next few years. There are still a lot of available dates in the art agenda.

 

After two years at the helm of MiArt, which is the mistake you have learned to avoid?

 

Trying to apply models which already exist. Each environment is specific in its own way, and this should be the starting point.

 

Which kind of public does MiArt address to?

 

Not only to art lovers. We have reserved more attention to design, and fashion too, especially in the series of Miartalks.

 

Since a few years young italian artists have been going through a hard time. Is there still some space for them in the international art scene?

 

I hope so, but they are certainly living in a difficult period.

 

How could Italy come out from this crisis?

 

With a return to education. In the art field our educational system is indeed out-of-date.

 

Is there anything you would say to the new Italian culture minister, Dario Franceschini?

 

I would tell him not to disregard the present. Of course preserving is necessary, but Italy needs to go back to producing too. Else, in the future there won’t be anything more to preserve.

September 22, 2014