In an interview with www.puntodisvista.net Edward Rozzo speaks frankly about the self-centered and individualistic nature of Italian culture. A snippet from the interview:
I find that Italian students instinctively have a rigid habit. The system in which they are trapped since birth has too many filters. They are very good to discuss classical themes, but when you move on today and you ask them what they think, they remain mute. On the other hand I wonder: how do you train people if in the newspapers we see a uniform and embarrassing indifference? In my experience I’ve ever worked with gallerists who have told me: ‘I can not show this piece because Italians would not understand’, then you can also package a evolved product, but how to offer it if newspapers would not know how to use it and people cannot see it? We do not care to investigate the positive and negative spaces to express ideas on the society. I strongly believe in education because it allows the transmission of the tools you need to understand. But even this is not easy because of different ideologies. Today, after years of battles, I wonder what has been done for photography in Italy: is it particularly important at world level? No. It is important in Italy? No. People look at a photograph to understand herself, to understand the world? No. Who looks at the photo? A small small group of people who are interested. I repeat: I really believe in providing the tools to understand the art, but it is appropriate to take on an equal level, without overpowering, providing the public with the parameters that allow to become master of the subject with which he has to do.
The full interview is worth a read and can be seen online here.