Italy’s embattled junior culture minister resigns amid scandals
about 3 months ago (02/02/2024)
Italy’s embattled junior culture minister resigns amid scandals Art market Museums & heritage Exhibitions Books Podcasts Columns Technology Adventures with Van Gogh Search Search Appointments & departures news Italy’s embattled junior culture minister resigns amid scandals The critic, curator and commentator Vittorio Sgarbi was being pressured to resign amid multiple investigations into his conduct James Imam 2 February 2024 Share Vittorio Sgarbi speaks to reporters in Venice in 2020 Photo by Pietro Luca Cassarino, via Flickr Vittorio Sgarbi, the controversial Italian art critic and polemicist who is being investigated for art crimes, has resigned as a junior culture minister with immediate effect, prompting a flurry of celebratory messages from his political foes. "I am resigning with immediate effect as undersecretary, and I’ll send a letter to [prime minister Giorgia] Meloni,” the 71-year-old said in a speech on Friday on the sidelines of a Milan conference about Italy’s economic future, drawing audible gasps and groans from audience members. “Better late than never,” wrote Tomaso Montanari, a prominent left-wing art historian, on X, formerly Twitter.