Intersezioni ed epifanie: l’arte pubblica nelle pratiche di archeologia pubblica nel contesto italiano. Mappatura, analisi e proposte per una nuova connessione interdisciplinare

This research aims to contribute to the discourse on the relationship between contemporary artistic practices and the ‘Ancient’ within the framework of public space, with a particular focus on the Italian context. It seeks to establish connections between two distinct yet closely related fields -public archaeology and public art-especially concerning their shared objectives related to public participation. Drawing on the issues and objectives outlined in the Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (commonly known as the Faro Convention), which emphasizes the involvement of communities in the enjoyment and preservation of cultural heritage, this study employs qualitative analysis techniques to highlight the role that the artistic community can play in this domain. To date, critical and theoretical reflections on art in public spaces lack a dedicated discussion on the archaeological space and the role that the artistic community can play in fulfilling the objectives set forth by the Faro Convention. Furthermore, various contemporary art interventions in archaeological contexts, which have taken place over the past decades, are largely absent from critical discourse on public archaeology and the Italian approach to ‘participatory archaeology,’ which focuses on community involvement. Additionally, the discourse on the intersections between contemporary art and archaeology is currently characterized by significant tensions, primarily due to the lack of dialogue between archaeologists, artists, art historians, and curators. This often results in decontextualized operations that are perceived as incomprehensible, ancillary, or even ‘useless’ by professionals in the field. The objective of this research is not to engage with the extensive literature on aesthetics and criticism concerning artistic practices that employ an archaeological methodology, nor does it contribute to theoretical discussions on the ‘survival of the ancient’ as addressed by Aby Warburg and masterfully outlined by Salvatore Settis in his work The Future of the Classical (2004). Instead, it seeks to theorize a potential pathway for what Settis describes as a «vision of the classical projected into the future» (ibid., p. 108), which he deems necessary in today’s cultural context. The study proposes a new perspective that can contribute to theoretical reflection and academic discourse on the shared themes of public archaeology and public art. Through the examination of case studies, this work aims to outline a possible connection between public archaeology and public art, positioning it within an ongoing cultural paradigm shift that increasingly recognizes the central role of artists in shaping public space. The ultimate goal is to highlight the role of artists who contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage through practices that ‘interrogate’ heritage, thereby addressing the objectives set by the Faro Convention. This approach facilitates the evolution of the ancient/contemporary discourse in a framework of co-design and co-creation, which not only fosters stronger community connections to cultural heritage but also has significant implications for research, policy, and the management of archaeological sites. The study interprets artistic production in archaeological spaces through selected case studies in Italy, aiming to delineate methods, tools, and principles from the perspectives of institutions, archaeologists, artists, and curators. To answer the research questions, the study employs a qualitative analysis method derived from the social sciences - Grounded Theory. Data collection was carried out through structured interviews (all audio- or video-recorded) with 18 professionals involved in six selected case studies (Arte in Memoria, Underneath the Arches, In-ruins, Pompeii Commitment, L’età dell’oro, and the exhibition Tuttopieno). The interviewees included site management officials (always archaeologists, except in the case of Underneath the Arches), curators of the artistic practices, and artists themselves. The analysis followed the methodology of Grounded Theory, which aims to identify categories, correlations between categories, and, eventually, a model based on empirical data. The findings explored the activities conducted, the tools used (research methodologies and artistic techniques), and the relationships between archaeologists, artists, and curators throughout the projects. The study also examined the funding models, existing collaborations, the role of the public from the interviewees’ perspectives, public engagement strategies, and future objectives for archaeological site enhancement policies, as well as artistic and curatorial practices. The analysis concludes with self-assessments from the participants regarding the featured practices and their reflections on the motivations underlying the projects examined in this research. This dissertation is structured into two main parts. The first part, composed of two chapters, provides the theoretical framework for the study. The second part, also structured into two chapters, outlines the research design and analytical methodology, concluding with a summary of the project-based seminar held between July 2023 and April 2024 with students from the School of Specialization in Archaeological Heritage of Matera (SSBA) at the University of Basilicata and the Sculpture School at the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples (ABANA), which complements and finalizes the research.