Maxxi, 10 years of success and 18 new exhibitions

A challenge turned into a success. The Maxxi, chosen by the Italian State to become the museum of the contemporary, celebrates its first 10 years with 18 new exhibitions, renewed attention to the museum's collection, special projects, an international convention. And with the opening of the new headquarters in L'Aquila on March 31st.

It wasn't easy, it wasn't obvious when the doors of the structure built in Rome based on a project by the archistar Zaha Hadid were opened on May 30, 2010. "Ten years in which we have been a laboratory of creativity and challenges, a non-elitist place, porous to the ideas and feelings of artists, in search", he says with a certain pride Giovanna Melandri, president of the Maxxi Foundation, came to lead the museum at the end of 2012 and is now recognized as the main architect of its exponential growth. Some numbers demonstrate this: 3,3 million visitors in 2019, more than doubled compared to 2010; 101 exhibitions, of which 45 produced or co-produced with other museums in Italy and around the world; doubled the number of works in the collection (530). "The Maxxi is not the Tate Gallery yet but this is a challenge we can win” Melandri had declared to FIRSTonline two years ago, anticipating ambitious programs for his second term. And there is no doubt that he is heading in that direction. New initiatives, new ideas, leadership and a lot of teamwork with Hou Hanrou (artistic director), Margherita Guccione (architecture director), Bartolomeo Pietromarchi (art director), Pietro Barrera (general secretary). The 2020 budget has risen to 13 million (plus 2 million for Maxxi L'Aquila) from the 6 million allocated in 2012. Fundraising at 1,8 million.

The plans for the future are intense and full of novelties. Among these, even one significant new layout of the Maxxi collection. Starting today 7 February, the ninth edition of the Alcantara Maxxi project sees the German designer as protagonist Kostantin Grcic - Imagination to Power (until March 15). For the tenth anniversary, great attention to Italian creativity with the exhibition REAL_ITALY which will see the winning works of the first two editions of the Italian council, the MIBACT call dedicated to the promotion of Italian artists (February 19-April 26) on display. It opens on April 9 without margin. Passages in Italian art at the turn of the millennium with the new layout, as we said, of works from the Maxxi national collection (including Kounellis, Schifano, Accardi to name just a few). Also on April 9th Tribute to Claudia Gian Ferrari, gallerist who donated his collection to Maxxi (until 3 May). In the spotlight also the winning young artists of the Maxxi Bulgari Prize 2020: Giulia Cenci, Tommaso De Luca and Renato Leotta (8 May – 1 November).

After the retrospective dedicated to Giò Ponti, extended until April, there is great anticipation for the exhibition dedicated to another great master of architecture: Aldo Rossi. The architect and the cities (April 9 – January 2021). For young architects to remember it YAP Rome at Maxxi won by the English Lucy Styles which will create a temporary space in Piazza del Maxxi to host the museum's summer appointments (May 27 - October 2020).

For photography, it goes on display John Gastel. The people I like, 200 portraits to see between 20 May and 13 September.

Impossible to mention all the initiatives planned. It's worth remembering A story for the future. The first 10 years of MAXXI which will showcase thousands of images, videos, sounds and words, multimedia installations (27 May – 1 November). In autumn, Bigger than me. Voices of heroes from the former Yugoslavia (November 5, 2020 – March 2021) as well Technotopia. Engineering the future (December 2020 – April 2021) explore international art, in the first case; and the interactions between great engineering and digital culture, in the second.

In the Maxxi auditorium, packed to capacity, the minister Dario Franceschini applauds. “Investing in a Museum of 2019st Century Arts was a forward-looking choice. The results achieved prove it. We must continue." It was Franceschini himself, who had just returned to the helm of the Museum of Cultural Heritage (Mibact) in September 2020, who restored the funds for Maxxi that the yellow-green government had cut. In the Milleproroghe decree, additional funds have been included (for 5) aimed at the acquisition of the works: "An investment must be made in contemporary creativity", underlines the minister, recalling that in the reform of the ministry that went into effect on February XNUMX "a a general direction for contemporary creativity: art, fashion, architecture, photography”.

The particular model of governance of Maxxi, which is a foundation also open to private capital, has attracted large-caliber partners such as Enel. “We entered as a sponsor five years ago and we are very happy with what has been done – he said Carlo Tamburi, number one of Enel Italy – as well as for the constructive approach in the Board. A real Board of Directors with an attentive eye on the budget, investments and use of resources”. And this is also good news.