Italy

Venice Architecture Biennale curator criticises Italian government for denying visas for three Ghanaian curators

Lesley Lokko, the curator of the 18th edition of the event, said the decision showed the “ugly rear” of Italian immigration policy but should not be "the defining story of this exhibition"

Museums close and turn into shelters amid deadly floods in northern Italy

At least 13 people have died and thousands have been evacuated as the Emilia-Romagna region battles its worst floods in 100 years

Romereview

Why Bridget Riley's bold ceiling painting at the British School at Rome is an exercise in 'soft power'

The 92-year-old artist's first-ever ceiling work takes inspiration from the "colour of the skies" and follows in the footsteps of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescos

Italynews

Artists take aim at Italy’s attack on same-sex parents’ rights

As the country's far-right government cracks down on LGBTQ rights, public artworks are popping up in protest

James Imam. With additional reporting by Gareth Harris

Botticelli’s Venus as ‘influencer’ in tourism campaign faces widespread ridicule

The use of a computerised mascot of the Renaissance figure to promote Italian culture has been described as “humiliating” and “grotesque”

Texan princess evicted from Rome villa with Caravaggio ceiling

Following a bitter inheritance dispute, Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi has been court-ordered to leave the historic property, while valuable artworks and documents are to be removed or destroyed

Underwater Nabataean temple discovered in major archaeological find in Italy

Since the 18th century, five of the submerged ancient Roman altars have been found in the area near Naples

Milan authorities must hire conservationist after struggling to clean statue damaged by climate activists

Italian officials have approved draft bill to bring in tougher sanctions for protestors who target heritage

Art fairsanalysis

Galleries flock back to Miart fair in Milan—but play it safe

International dealers returned to 27th edition of the fair after two years marked by Covid

Uffizi’s ticket price hike sparks row

As the Italian museum responds to rising energy bills, culture minister says institutions’ entrance charge increases are justified

Italy to open new mafia museum—complete with smells and sounds

The first site in Palermo is scheduled to open this spring

Italynews

Italy plans high-speed train between Pompeii and Rome to increase tourism to heritage sites

The €35m development will include a new train station adjacent to the Pompeii archaeological site

Vatican tapestry of Leonardo's Last Supper gets extremely rare outing

How the Pope washed the feet of 13 priests during Holy Week is at the heart of a new exhibition outside Turin

Hic! Row erupts over loan of Caravaggio’s Bacchus to wine festival

Uffizi's plan to show the painting at Vinitaly has been described as “absurd” and “unacceptable”

Italynews

Banksy’s migrant rescue ship detained by Italian authorities

Activists say boat was seized after taking 180 rescued people to Lampedusa and has been impounded for 20 days for violating new Italian laws

Just what the doctor ordered: masterpieces from Milan museum brighten up hospital

Works from the Pinacoteca di Brera have been blown up and pasted in high definition on the walls of the Humanitas hospital in Ronzano to improve patients' well-being

Revealed: Rome's new €100m culture masterplan

The National Roman Museum's director Stéphane Verger shares the radical new plans that will revamp four landmark museum and heritage sites in Italy

Arianna Antoniutti. With additional reporting by Gareth Harris

More than 1,000 people help artist JR hold up giant images of refugee children for Turin performance

The vast works shown in Northern Italy were made last year at camps in locations including Greece and Rwanda

Looted archaeological artefacts worth more than $20m returned to Italy

The 60 objects included some that had been on display at the Metropolitan Museum and several that had been bought by billionaire collector Michael Steinhardt

Italian police widen fraud investigation after seizing Rubens painting from Genoa exhibition

The Carabinieri accuse four people of downgrading and illegally exporting the Old Master work, which has now been returned to the show in the Palazzo Ducale

Defying gravity—Leaning Tower of Pisa leans like in the early 19th century

Expert stabilisation plan means the Italian landmark has continued to straighten itself

The archaeological discovery of the century? What the San Casciano bronzes tell us about Roman and Etruscan life

The deposit of perfectly preserved statues in the heart of Tuscany reveals six centuries of cultural and political evolution

Booksreview

A sumptuous history book of Venice, reveals the ‘mythical creature’ in all her glory

From a fifth-century influx of refugees to the arrival of “grazing dinosaur” cruise ships

Unpredictable art critic vs hard right minister: Italy’s senior politicians clash over cultural policy

Issues such as free museums and safeguarding heritage are splitting the opinions of two officials in the Brothers of Italy party which swept to power in September

Should the world resume co-operating with the Taliban on protecting Afghanistan's heritage?

Conservation projects that have been paused due to sanctions on the new government may restart after Unesco intervention

Carracci's lavish frescoes from dismantled Roman chapel are reunited in their home city after 200 years in exile

Exhibition at Palazzo Barberini is the finale of a “momentous” trio of shows bringing the cycle of 16 works back together

'A discovery that will rewrite history': 24 exceptionally well preserved bronzes unearthed by archaeologists in Tuscany

The artefacts, found at ancient Roman baths, are among the most “significant bronzes ever produced in the history of the ancient Mediterranean”

Italy's Uffizi Galleries forced to stay shut over public holiday due to staff shortage

Culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano criticises museum for not opening on the Monday before All Saints Day but director Eike Schmidt says government must step in to find "reinforcements"

Why is art at the heart of Italy’s far-right political party?

Plus, Carnegie International, the US's longest-running contemporary art exhibition, and a mystifying egg sculpture

Hosted by Ben Luke. With guest speaker James Imam. Produced by David. Clack, Aimee Dawson and Henrietta Bentall
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