Out of the Crisis. Or Rather at its Threshold

In times of crisis, people need art, but in which modality? The digital alternative represents a viable solution, however more suitable for art colossuses than for small realities, unable to rely on the same resources. In the months of lockdown and gradual re-opening, art galleries have variably adapted to the changed modalities of fruition, at times resorting to a pre-existing exhibition format, deeply rooted in the history of art and exhibition, but until then overlooked: employing the windows of the art galleries as the space for the display. Analysing two galleries that were born in this format (Massimo De Carlo Pièce Unique and Una Vetrina) and another one that found itself resorting to it during the lockdown (Fabbrica EOS), the present research sets to present it as a valuable solution to continue engaging the community, making people safely experience art, while being a concrete way to embellish the public space. On 9 March 2020, the world stopped for Italy, including the art world. Every museum, private gallery, or cultural institution closed down indefinitely. What to do next? The obvious choices were two: either to wait for the storm to pass, or to move everything online. As the former does not fit the style of the artworld, anchored as it is to contemporary reality, a remarking majority chose the second option, implementing the online communication, organising online events, virtual exhibitions, online sales, social media podcasts, talks, discussions, and Instagram Live. But when art faces a crisis and a subsequent revaluation of values, strategies, and methods, the system must be reorganised.