Painting and Spreading Dissent: American Social Realism and Its Reception in Italy (1954–1973)

Gianlorenzo Chiaraluce, Ph.D.

This project investigates the diffusion and reception of American social realist painting in Italy between 1954 and the early 1970s, a period of profound political and cultural upheavals in both countries. The analysis focuses on the role of art criticism and on selected case studies, with particular attention to the Roman milieu and the activities of private galleries. Among the key questions guiding the research are: in what ways did American Social Realism differ from its Italian counterpart? To what extent did political contexts such as McCarthyism in the United States or the strength of leftist movements in Italy inform its reception? What roles did political activism, feminism, and class struggle play in the transatlantic exchange of ideas? The project also examines the ways in which artists aligned themselves with subaltern communities, turning art into a tool for social justice. One of the main objectives is to identify figures and institutions, on both sides of the Atlantic, that contributed constructing a counter-narrative of American art. In a period dominated first by Abstract Expressionism and later by Pop Art and Neo-Dada, the Social Realism that had emerged in the 1930s appeared increasingly marginalized, yet remained vibrant. The study therefore aims to shed light on lesser-known exchanges and ideological alignments, offering broader perspectives on the socio-political factors that shaped Postwar art and questioning the established narratives surrounding the reception of American art in Italy.