interview: Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviews: Massimiliano Fedriga, Governor of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region; Antonio Cattaruzza, Donor of the art collection (engineer and art collector)
The regional government of Friuli Venezia Giulia on Friday presented a newly published catalog featuring 196 paintings donated to the region by engineer Antonio Cattaruzza, marking one of the most significant contributions to the area’s public art collections in recent years.
The catalog, curated by the Regional Agency for Cultural Heritage (Erpac FVG), was unveiled at the Regional Palace in Trieste in the presence of Governor Massimiliano Fedriga and Vice Governor for Culture Mario Anzil. The volume brings together the works selected from Cattaruzza’s private collection, which he has formally donated to the region with the intention of ensuring their long-term preservation and public accessibility.
Fedriga described the gift as “an extraordinary donation,” expressing gratitude for what he called “an act of rare generosity” that will enrich the cultural landscape of Friuli Venezia Giulia. He noted that the collection represents “a contribution to the community and a gesture of love toward art and future generations.” The governor added that part of the collection may eventually be displayed in new regional spaces planned within Trieste’s revitalized Porto Vivo district.
Anzil echoed the governor’s remarks, calling the catalog’s publication “an important first step” in promoting and exhibiting the works. He highlighted the collaboration between the donor and the regional cultural agency, noting that the project reflects “a fruitful synergy between public and private sectors” aimed at expanding public access to art. “Art is a universal form of communication,” he said, “and initiatives like this help share it with the broader community.”
Titled “The Antonio Cattaruzza Collection: Works Donated to the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region,” the catalog was edited by Lorenzo Michelli, curator of the Luigi Spazzapan Regional Gallery of Contemporary Art in Gradisca d’Isonzo. The research and cataloguing were carried out by Matteo Bonanomi and Francesca Nodari, working in consultation with Cattaruzza himself. Across 236 pages, the volume offers a detailed narrative of how the collection took shape and places each of the 196 works within their historical and artistic context.
The catalog will be available at Erpac venues across the region, including Trieste’s Magazzino delle Idee, Villa Manin, Palazzo Attems, and Borgo Castello in Gorizia, as well as the Spazzapan Gallery in Gradisca d’Isonzo. Public presentations of the volume are scheduled for January 30, 2026, at Magazzino delle Idee in Trieste, and February 12, 2026, at the Spazzapan Gallery.
