Modern Art Displaces Italian Historic Preservation

Michael Kimmelman writes in the New York Times how Italy has invested heavily in a new museum for modern art as its cultural icons from the past slowly decay into dust. See http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/arts/design/07abroad.html

His article takes Italy to task for its lack of foresight and points out that lack of funding and long-range planning threatens not only Italy's historic structures but the prospects for its new museum for modern art as well.

Once again one wonders why American archaeologists are pressing the Italian cultural establishment to claim Greek and Roman coins as its cultural patrimony. Collectors in Italy, the rest of the EU and the United States are already displaying, publishing and conserving ancient coins struck in Italy, and all without the government funding that is so difficult to come by these days.