“Ora apriamo un Padiglione Palestina in Biennale”. Intervista a Tomaso Montanari
Tomaso Montanari, a member of the scientific committee for the exhibition "Gaza, il futuro ha un cuore antico. Materie e memorie del Mediterraneo" at Fondazione Merz in Turin, discusses the show's aim to highlight Gaza's 5,000-year history beyond the current war imagery. The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Museo Egizio and the MAH – Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève, juxtaposes ancient artifacts with contemporary artworks to assert the cultural and historical significance of Palestine. Montanari also addresses the upcoming Venice Biennale, criticizing the lack of a Palestinian pavilion and suggesting that the Turin exhibition itself serves as a de facto Palestinian pavilion, while calling for accountability for Israel's actions.
This matters because it positions the art world as a platform for political and historical discourse, directly challenging the neutrality often expected of cultural institutions. Montanari’s comments link the exhibition to broader debates about censorship, colonial narratives, and the role of biennials in addressing geopolitical conflicts, particularly the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The article underscores how art can be used to reclaim erased histories and advocate for justice, making it a significant intervention in contemporary art and cultural policy discussions.