How much did they pay?
«About 80 thousand euros, plus 15 thousand separately for the custodians».
A nice figure.
«Prices are not decided by museums, they are rigorously defined by a ministry regulation based on square metres, type of spaces, presence of works. Since the Franceschini reform, the granting of places for rent by cultural institutions represents a budget item to finance restorations, conservation and valorisation”.
In the words of Angelo Crespi, director of the Brera Art Gallery since last December, around dinner-event organized in recent days by the «Cinical Beautician» brand Between Brera and Braidense library there are no mysteries or ambiguous implications.
«It is a practice that has existed in Brera for 8 years, since Bradburne’s time. Abroad it is the norm. I’m thinking of Gucci’s mega dinner at the Louvre, but a thousand examples could be given. Budgetary autonomy for museum directors includes a line of revenues from the concession of spaces. It has been a normal issue for 10 years.”
Why do you think the controversy exploded this time?
«Maybe there’s a bit of classism because the cynical beautician isn’t Dior? I don’t know”.
How many events have you hosted since you became director?
“Only two. Always on the occasion of fashion in Milan, precisely because the cultural aspect comes first.”
Do you foresee others?
«It will open tomorrow (Monday, ed) the Swarovski exhibition at Palazzo Citterio, future headquarters of Brera Modern. Obviously in spaces not affected by the construction site.”
How much will you earn?
«Over half a million. Which, for example, will allow us to equip all the most important works that will be placed in Palazzo Citterio with air-conditioned glass. I add: the State invested a million for a medieval codex for the Library; We have the task of guaranteeing sustainability. For those who run a museum, it is a duty to provide sustenance.”
Let’s go back to the controversy over the dinner at Braidense.
«It did not take place in the main room, but in a side one, the reading room, frequented in the morning by the students. There are ancient books, but not the most important ones, that are in the vault. The candles were fake and the dinner respected all safety standards.”
Can any company rent spaces?
«Let’s make a selection. We have so many requests that I could rent every day, but I don’t rent rooms. In this case they were Spanish influencers who also brought an image return. Friends from Brera accompanied them on their visit to the art gallery. The evening ended in the courtyard. Everything took place between 8.30pm and 11.30pm, without any mix with the usual activities. Then everything was dismantled and the students didn’t even notice it in the morning.”
Those who criticize you claim that it is forbidden to eat in those rooms.
«True, but up to a certain point. No one can eat normally in there, or even in the art gallery. But the dinner was organized with catering in the courtyard and with maximum respect for the rules: then they paid for cleaning, as happens in these cases, and in the morning the room welcomed the students. There was this dinner and another, which ended there. I repeat: it is not the Teresiana, but a reading room, albeit in a beautiful historical context. The consultation of the codes is in another room.”
What if a student has a bottle of water?
«He can drink. Eating the sandwich, no. But these are two very different moments: dinner is a rare event, managed with all precautions.”
Ultimately, what benefit did it bring?
«First: we are not selling out culture and historical spaces. And let’s remember the synergies that exist all over the world between art, fashion and luxury brands: like in France Arnault, Pinault, Dior, which have a strong connection with architecture and design, also with the aim of extending the public. We are a growing museum, admissions have increased by 10 percent, we will reach half a million by the end of the year. The goal is to include and attract more and more audiences.”
Okay, but in all this, the “cynical beautician”?
«I’ll get there. To attract new audiences, the State ensures a very wide range of free admissions: over 65s, under 18s, school classes. Around 200 thousand entries last year were free. Almost half of the public gets in for free and that’s fine. But if we count that an average ticket costs around 10 euros, the 80 thousand euros for that evening cover, for example, 8 thousand free admissions. Let’s remember that in the seventies Brera was closed due to lack of funds.”
