Michele D’Aurizio
Michele D’Aurizio (born 1985, Chieti, Italy) is an Italian curator, art critic, and researcher in modern and contemporary art. Active across Europe and the United States, he is known for bridging exhibition practice with academic research and for collaborations with institutions such as Kunsthalle Wien and MACTE – Museo di Arte Contemporanea di Termoli.
Key facts
- Born: 1985, Chieti, Italy
- Education: Politecnico di Milano; NABA (Milan); PhD candidate, UC Berkeley
- Editorial roles: Editor (2014–2018), Flash Art; Associate Editor, Kaleidoscope
- Notable projects: “sub,” MACTE Termoli (2023); co-curator, 16th Quadriennale d’Arte (2016)
- Fellowship: Predoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute (Bibliotheca Hertziana), Florence (2024)
Curatorial and Editorial Career
D’Aurizio emerged in Milan’s independent art scene as co-founder of Gasconade, a project space supporting emerging artists. He served as international editor for Flash Art and contributed essays to Kaleidoscope, Mousse, and Spike, helping shape Italy’s critical discourse on postwar and contemporary art. His curatorial work spans institutions in Paris, Dublin, São Paulo, New York, and Rome, often focusing on cross-cultural narratives and artistic labor.
Academic and Research Focus
Now a doctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, he studies the social history of modern and contemporary art, comparative modernisms, and the intersection of art, craft, and labor theory. His project “Tecnica Povera” examines postwar Italian practices through material culture and Marxist aesthetics.
Exhibitions and Recent Work
His 2023 MACTE exhibition sub re-contextualized artists from Asia and South America active in Italy’s postwar period, challenging Eurocentric art histories. Earlier, as curator-in-residence at Fondazione Pastificio Cerere (2012), he presented projects including a solo by Sam Pulitzer. D’Aurizio continues to collaborate internationally, linking curatorial practice with historical inquiry.