Stefano Albertini (PhD Stanford U, MA U of Virgina, Laurea U of Parma) is Clinical Professor of Italian studies at NYU and a long-time Director of the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’. His scholarly interests include Machiavelli, 19th-century novel, church-state relations, literature and cinema, contemporary Italian culture. As Director of the Casa, he faces a broad spectrum of cultural activities, from large academic conferences and symposia to individual artistic and literary presentations, as well as political and social happenings. We can say, without a doubt, that Dr. Albertini has transformed the Casa ZM into one of the most important reference points for Italian culture in North America and, in fact, in the world.
Vittorio Calabrese (MBA Bocconi University and NYU; MA in Art History at Christie’s Education, New York) is the Executive Director of Magazzino Italian Art Foundation. He leads all museum programming, exhibitions, and research and is responsible for broadening institutional development, fostering collaborations with fellow institutions and international artists. Mr. Calabrese has curated exhibitions on Italian artists and art at the Magazzino Art Foundation as well as in different venues in New York and the US.
Nicola Lucchi (MA and PhD NYU, Laurea U of Trieste) is the Executive Director of the Center for Italian Modern Art in New York (CIMA Foundation). Dr Lucchi is a scholar of modern and contemporary Italian art and his publications touch upon Futurism, Social realism art, industrial architectural spaces, visual culture, and the relationship between the United States and Italian art from the 20th-century to the present.
In this conversation, the directors of three of the most active Italian cultural institutions in New York debate issues related to the spreading of Italian art and culture in an international setting.