Art in America: Fiat sells Palazzo Grassi

The Palazzo Grassi, the 18th-century palace on Venice's Grand Canal that has been a prime exhibition venue for 17 years, was sold in mid-October by the financially troubled Fiat corporation to the Venice city council for $31 million. Fiat will retain a 10 percent share of the enterprise, though the company announced fast year that it would end its sponsorship of exhibitions. Programming will be assumed by a nonprofit company comprising the Casino di Venezia, which is owned by the city council, and possibly the Fondazione di Venezia, a bank foundation, if the foundation is granted power of approval of the administrative and intellectual leadership.

Fiat acquired the palazzo in 1984 and the following year commissioned architect Gae Aulenti to renovate and restore the historic structure. Its well-regarded presentations have included a major Duchamp retrospective (1993); "Identity and Alterity," a figurative painting survey curated by Jean Clair as part of the 1995 Venice Biennale; "Triumph of the Baroque--Architecture in Europe 1600-1750" (1994); "Cosmos: From Goya to De Chirico" (2000); "Picasso 1917-1924" (1998); and exhibitions on Maya, Egyptian, Etruscan and Celtic art. The final show, a Salvador Dali exhibition, closes Jan. 16. Whether the new administration can maintain a high quality of exhibitions in one of Venice's most vibrant cultural venues remains to be seen.