The first political act of Gennaro Sangiuliano, new Minister of Culture and former director of Tg2 Rai, will - as far as we learn - be removed Giovanna Melandri to the presidency of MAXXI, the Museum of XXI Century Arts. With whom does the minister intend to replace Melandri? With Alessandro Giuli, journalist of Foglio and Libero, star source of melonism and its faithful supporter in all the television talk shows.
Is it possible that the Minister of Culture, in office for a month, will put the turnaround at the MAXXI at the top of his agenda? Possible apparently. And the logic of the spoils system, legitimate when top roles in the administration of the state expire, has little to do with this affair. What is striking, in fact, is the enormous work done by Melandri at MAXXI and the scant consideration in which the new minister now seems to hold him. And then we can ask ourselves: are we facing a rotation or to apurge? Some data helps us answer.
MAXXI turnaround: who Giovanna Melandri is and what she did at MAXXI
Giovanna Melandri, 60 years old, with a degree in economics, she was a parliamentarian for the Pds-Pd for a long time and twice minister, first of Culture and then of Sport. You founded and are president of the Human Foundation, a foundation that promotes impact finance in support of social enterprise. In October 2012 you were appointed president of the MAXXI Foundation and in these ten years you have made the Museum an indispensable cultural center not only for Rome but on an international scale. Despite the Covid in 2020 he kept the Museum "open" on the Web and did not give up on opening the MAXXI L'Aquila. Since 2013, the Roman museum has surpassed 1,7 million visitors, staged 114 exhibitions, attracting partners and sponsors such as Enel, Bulgari, Cdp, Groupama, Alcantara, Deutsche Bank, Sky Arte Hd. The ability to attract public and private resources – the last annual fundraising gala was held a few nights ago – has been the key to Melandri's success. With exhibitions in absolute preview in Italy such as Amazonia by Sebastiao Salgado. Melandri will leave having just launched the project of Great MAXXI with a loan of 42 million euros. It is a project that envisages the expansion of the exhibition area, the external gardens and the research projects. In summary: an explosion of initiatives, exhibitions, workshops, activities.
MAXXI turnaround: who is Alessandro Giuli
Alessandro Giuli is a journalist, even good and lively according to some, cultured according to what they say. His curriculum vitae: 47 years old, classical high school diploma, degree in philosophy. As a journalist he was born at Il Foglio of which he became deputy director and co-director but collaborated with right-wing newspapers such as Libero, il Tempo, until he made himself known to a wider audience with an intense participation in television talk shows. He wrote “Sovereignty for beginners. Individuals and power between identity and integration” and “The step of the geese – The unresolved identity of the post-fascists”. He did not hide his Salvini sympathies when the League was 30% but then he focused on the Brothers of Italy so much so that when the government took office, his name was mentioned as spokesman for Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi. Management experience: none. Whether he will be able to do it or not will be discovered over time. He, participating on Tuesday evening in "Otto e mezzo" on La7, was mocked at a specific question by Lilli Gruber on his imminent assignment: "I avail myself of the right not to answer".
MAXXI: the choice of Sangiuliano, Melandri is preparing to leave
The games now seem to be nearing their conclusion. Giovanna Melandri she will speak on Thursday morning at 12 in a press conference in which she will comment on the decisions that concern her. “We still don't have any official and formal communication. No decree has yet arrived, we are waiting for it ad horas ”. The farewells are for tomorrow when you will illustrate "with a spirit of service towards the institutions, the small international cultural jewel that we will hand over to the new governance".
It is still worth remembering that Gennaro Sangiuliano, current Minister of Culture, was director of the centre-right Tg2. His participation in the Milan convention of Brothers of Italy last May (other Rai executives also took part). In fact, on that occasion Sangiuliano had not limited himself to participating as a moderator but had taken on a political role speaking from the stage while exercising the role of director of a public service television masthead.
It is legitimate to appreciate Giorgia Meloni, the first female premier of Italy. It is legitimate to have one's own political opinions, be they right-wing (as in the case of Giuli and Sangiuliano) or left-wing. It is also legitimate, in a logic of spoils system, to think of a rotation in top management roles that are approaching their expiry. But the MAXXI case it is sensational and allows us to return just as legitimately to the initial question: rotation or purge? The answer is obvious.
(Last revised on Wednesday 23 November 2022 at 23pm)