A perfect formula

Vincenzo Maccarone, director of mc2gallery, tells Francesca Lee-Rogers about big moves, the Montenegrin art scene and the importance of collaboration

In 2018 you moved your headquarters from Milan to Luštica Bay – what was the reason? I made the decision as Montenegro attracts a lot of international visitors, and I believe it will do so for many years to come. In 2014, I made the move personally, but I still travel the world for work.

What do you like most about being based in Luštica Bay? Who wouldn’t want to have a gallery in such a beautiful place? I have always loved the sea and art, and now I can enjoy both. There are many reasons I like being here, but the main two are: it’s an exclusive place, with incredible future potential, and Luštica Bay management is very competent, supportive and serious about making this a long-term project. I also believe it’s perfect because the location reflects the high quality of work represented in the gallery.

‘WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO HAVE A GALLERY IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE?’

‘WE SHOWCASE INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS, HIGH-PROFILE AND NEW’

How has the art world in Montenegro changed? The Montenegrin art world has always been active, as demonstrated by the Academy of Fine Arts in Cetinje, the various museums located in Podgorica and some of the private galleries in the territorial subdivisions of Montenegro. The level of tourism and new developments make the country attractive to the industry and international galleries.

How did your art journey begin? What initially inspired the launch of mc2gallery? I have loved art ever since I was a child. From a very young age I visited galleries, museums and art fairs across the globe, and followed and collected work by young artists – many of whom are now famous. In 2006 I met Claudio Composti, an influential gallerist in Milan, while I was in Berlin, and since then we’ve been in contact on almost a day-to-day basis. Our conversations were very important as they opened up my mind to endless possibilities, and so in 2009 we founded mc2gallery in Milan. Since then we’ve come a long way, attending many exhibitions, fairs and events in prestigious museums.

Your gallery name is taken from Einstein’s E=mc2 theory. What is the significance of the name? We did indeed take inspiration from Einstein’s formula, as we wanted to focus on the concepts of synergy and cooperation. An art gallery should not only think of its own work, but also be outward-looking and seek to further itself with other galleries, cultural spaces, curators and academies. The same principle applies to artists and collectors – everyone has an important role to play. Art has no limits.

Which artists and work do you represent? We’re a contemporary art gallery. We showcase international artists; not just high-profile, but also new and emerging. We have a lot of photographic artists on our books, but we also embody art in all of its forms; earlier this year we exhibited Italian painter Roberto Coda Zabetta’s work, and the rest of 2019 will consist solely of paintings.

How do you find artists? The search is the most difficult aspect, and each gallery has a different philosophy. We seek out and contact artists, but many also get in touch with us. Sometimes we find new artists in art fairs, in museums – as we did with contemporary artist Liu Xiaofang – or in international galleries.

Who would be your dream artist to represent? [German painter and sculptor] Anselm Kiefer, without doubt.

STATE OF THE ART: I Remember II n 07, Liu Xiaofang, 2012; Lengua de signo 3, Patricio Reig, 2019 (previous page, from left); Lady of Shalott, Julia Fullerton- Batten, 2018; artworks on display in the mc2 gallery; At the end of the world 03, Liu Xiaofang, 2014 (this page, clockwise from far left)

2019 marks the gallery's 10th anniversary. How are you going to celebrate the occasion? We’ll probably have a low-key celebration. The 10th anniversary of a gallery is very important, but before celebrating we must remember to continue to work hard and always strive for perfection.

And what plans do you have for the rest of this year? On 6 April, we opened an exhibition by visual artist Mihailo Karanovic, followed by an exhibition by Giuliano Sale on 18 May, and in July we exhibit a group show of four artists.

The programme will continue with two more exhibitions in our Milan gallery. We’ll also be at the following art fairs: Unseen Amsterdam in September, ArtVerona in October and Approche in Paris in November.

Do you have a favourite piece of art or artist? I don’t have a particular artwork that I like the most, but my favourite artist is Hieronymus Bosch [a Dutch draughtsman and painter who died in 1516]. In terms of contemporary artists, I think Joel-Peter Witkin is one of the greatest of this century. I know him personally and have several of his artworks in my collection. It’s tricky to explain his style as his work is constructed photographs that often depict macabre grotesque scenes. However, if one looks into deeper historical references on human beings, it’s very cultured.

Outside work, what do you enjoy most in Luštica Bay and also in Montenegro? I spend my time travelling around the country and getting to know the culture, as well as meeting new people. I have made friends locally and socialise with the other retailers in Luštica Bay. I’m always thinking of ways in which to support the art scene within the entire marina, particularly The Chedi, where I hope we can do some kind of collaboration.