Rossella Farinotti in dialogue with Vincenzo Maccarone, founder and director of MC2 gallery

During this locked down period we are living in because of Covid19, we had the chance to have a conversation with the founder of MC2 gallery. Vincenzo Maccarone gave us good recommendations, tips and points of views to be positive and work for our future. Because art could be seen as "a sort of “doctor” that, especially in this particular moment, we all need for”. 

In conversation with Vincenzo Maccarone, founder and director of MC2 gallery...
 
 

Vincenzo, we are writing to each other from two different countries, Italy and Montenegro, in the Balkans. From where you are right now, what is the perception of the situation of European galleries in this dramatic historical period, where everything is locked up since almost a month?  
 
We are actually closer than it seems. Lustica Bay is a beautiful seashore, and I have the privilege to still go to work and not be locked down-home in this moment. I have always seen art as a sort of “doctor” that, especially at this particular moment, we all need for. The web improvement will be necessary from now on, and the role of galleries is to demonstrate that we exist. People are under home detention and they have more time to dedicate to culture, we have to keep them company. 
 
In 2018, together with your business partner Claudio Composti, you decided to open a second gallery venue there in the Balkans. Why did you make this decision? 

After many years of life in Vietnam, in 2014  I moved to Montenegro. That’s why I decided to move the main gallery venue in here. Montenegro is a country in constant development in what concerns the luxury sector, with large investments from foreigners people. In fact, Montenegro is now considered as the “new Monte Carlo”, with the difference of being in a more fascinating place, with an amazing landscape. Also, in the Balkans, there are a lot of really talented artists to work with, and International ones too, like the ones we already work with as  Vesko Gagovic and Roman Djuranovic.
 
Since 2009 MC2gallery has been dealing with artists from different generations and working with different mediums, with a focus on photography. What is the difference of dealing with photography in the art market, in comparison to mediums such as paintings or installations? 
 
By now we can talk about post-photography. Artists who work with other means instead of photography are more and more. Their research became more complex. Our focus was towards photography, but what I am really interested in is the quality of the work, regardless of its form. During last October, Paolo Ciregia solo exhibition was based on an installation with neon light, sculpture, scanner. The one we opened on February by artist Vesko Gagovic, who represented Montenegro during the 58th Venice Biennale, was made by conceptual painting and brights installations. In June, our next exhibition will be a Davide Serpetti solo show, where painting and sculpture are the main subjects; in October we will host Vittoria Gerardi with her new work “Pompei”, where the artist intervenes with chalk on analogical photography. From a market point view of today photography has been legitimized, especially abroad. Unfortunately in Italy photography is still too ghettoized from my point of view. 

This question might seem predictable, but it's necessary: what do you think is going to happen to the European art system after this economical crisis which seems to be even stronger than the one in 2008? 

The financial crisis of 2008 was a cyclic one. This one was unexpected and more dangerous, because it carried on fear, so a negative “sentiment” that will be more effective. I believe there will be big changes, especially in the Italian market, because in many other European countries galleries and artists are more promoted, appreciated and supported - also during pre-crisis periods - by their governments. In Italy, this field has always been left aside, and it will be even more abandoned, in a shameful way. Lot of the galleries will pay this situation and many will close, especially the ones who are dealing with a young artist who makes research, where is fundamental to invest not only time, but money. I believe and hope that the Fair system will change, both in economic terms that in quality. My hope is also that the solution will not be the online reality for art fairs, so that all the poetics of the art encounter among works of art, artists and galleries will be over. Human relationship in this field is fundamental. 

What recommendations would you now give to an emergent gallery?

Our work is not a job, but it’s a mission.
I am a positive person, there’s no time to waste and, since now, we have to organized strategies for tomorrow. The recommendation is to believe in the project, to believe in yourself and to give values to the artists you work with. We all should take one step back, by always remembering that crisis = opportunity. 

Cover image: Portrait of Vincenzo Maccarone. Courtesy Mc2gallery Milan

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