ENI al MoMA: «un conflitto di mentalità». Il supporto alla mostra Italy: the New Domestic Landscape tra cultura, geopolitica e strategia d’impresa

This paper strives to read the exhibition “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” at MoMA, through an original approach, beyond its design contents, and rather focusing on the generous economic support bestowed by the Italian energy company ENI, amounting to $100,000. Through this peculiar filter, the essay highlights the “conflict of mentality” between ENI – in search of geopolitical, strategic and economic benefits – and MoMA. Thanks to the detailed analysis of the internal files of the many ENI offices and companies involved, the paper highlights the dreamed and broken expectations of such a sponsorship; the relationship between ENI officials and the curator Emilio Ambasz; the (unsuccessful) attempts to interfere in the exhibition program; the symmetrical promotion activity that ENI was carrying out in the USSR; etc. Through the ENI/MoMA relationship, the essay underlines the importance of innovative perspectives in the study of exhibition events, of which sponsorships constitute a crucial and often overlooked aspect, far from irrelevant in terms of cultural and artistic content.