In an interview conducted on April 1, 2026—the centenary of Fabio Mauri's birth—Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev discusses her deep personal and professional relationship with the artist. Christov-Bakargiev, president of the scientific committee of Studio Fabio Mauri and curator of the artist's catalogue raisonné (published by Allemandi and Hatje Cantz during the 2026 Venice Biennale), recounts how she first met Mauri in the mid-1980s at the suggestion of Giancarlo Politi, and how their conversations about art and ideology continued for decades. She reveals that Mauri was the first artist she invited to dOCUMENTA (13) in 2008, and that he spent his final months preparing for the exhibition before his death in May 2009. The interview also explores Christov-Bakargiev's critical interpretation of Mauri's work, particularly her reading of the screen as a metaphor for his entire oeuvre.
This interview matters because it sheds new light on the legacy of Fabio Mauri, a pivotal Italian artist whose politically charged work—especially his explorations of fascism and ideology—remains highly relevant today. Christov-Bakargiev, a globally influential curator who has led major institutions and curated landmark exhibitions including dOCUMENTA (13) and the Sydney and Istanbul biennials, offers unique firsthand insight into Mauri's thinking and creative process. The publication of the catalogue raisonné and the centenary timing underscore a renewed scholarly and institutional focus on Mauri's work, positioning him within broader conversations about art, memory, and political critique.