Rome Conference Discusses American-Italian Cultural Cooperation

Michael Conforti, director of the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA, and president-elect of the Association of Art Museum Directors, must have too much time on his hands working on only three books during his current stint as scholar in residence at the American Academy in Rome.

Along with Gianfranco Varvesi of the Italian Ministry of National Heritage and Cultural Activities, Conforti organized a high-level conference, held yesterday at the Rome academy, on "ways to foster improved cooperation between the two countries that would lead to enhanced intellectual and cultural exchange."

According to the post-conference press release:

Italian Cultural Minister Francesco Rutelli spoke of the establishment of an office in the Cultural Ministry to coordinate loans of works of art and facilitate cooperation. The American Association of Art Museum Directors could play a similar role in the U.S.

Other initiatives discussed included online educational projects and web-based information sharing as well as convening professionals in the two countries to examine issues of restoration and conservation. Future archaeological excavations were touched on, with a desire for ongoing cooperation and emphasis on context and historical understanding.

The press release is silent, though, on whether the give-and-take about "reaching a higher level of cooperation on several issues" dealt with constructive approaches to deescalating the cultural property wars (which I have recently discussed here and here and will address in further detail---with a view to what source countries ought to do---in an upcoming post).

The 28 American and Italian museum and cultural officials at the conference (closed to the public) included: Anne-Imelda Radice, director of the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services; James Wood, president of the Getty Trust; James Ballinger, director of the Phoenix Art Museum and immediate past president of AAMD; Cristina Acidini, special superintendent of Polo Museale Florence; Maria Vittoria Clarelli, superintendent of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome; Stefano De Caro, director general of Beni Archeologici; Claudio Strinati, special superintendent of Polo Museale Rome; and Salvatore Settis, director of the Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa.

Geoff Edgers of the Exhibitionist blog dug up a few more American attendees, including Max Anderson, director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art; Michael Brand, director of the Getty Museum; and Don Bacigalupi, director of the Toledo Museum of Art.

What, they didn't invite CultureGrrl?