Ezio Pagano Argues "Contemporary" Is a Temporal Condition, Not an Artistic Value
In a self-conducted interview featured on Segnonline, Italian art figure Ezio Pagano expresses his concerns regarding the term "contemporary" as a measure of artistic worth, suggesting it indicates a temporal state rather than aesthetic merit. He argues that every piece of art is contemporary to its time, referencing artists like Renato Guttuso and Emilio Vedova. Pagano asserts that the works of Marcel Duchamp and Lucio Fontana have lost their contemporary status, forecasting a similar fate for Maurizio Cattelan and Damien Hirst. He differentiates between art and non-art, deeming much of today's work as mere stunts, and likens Hirst and Cattelan to influencer Chiara Ferragni, contending that popularity does not equate to quality. Pagano insists that art must possess intrinsic necessity and advocates for standards and critical judgment in artistic assessment, while rejecting conservatism.
Key facts
- Ezio Pagano published a self-interview on Segnonline titled 'L'arte non è contemporanea: è il tempo a essere contemporaneo all'arte'.
- Pagano argues that 'contemporary' is a temporal condition, not an artistic quality, citing the Latin etymology contemporaneus.
- He states that all art is contemporary to its own time, including works by Renato Guttuso, Emilio Vedova, and Arte Povera.
- He claims that works by Duchamp and Fontana are no longer contemporary, and neither will be those by Cattelan and Hirst in a few decades.
- Pagano distinguishes between art and non-art, defining non-art as production made for multiplication and consumption, akin to craft.
- He estimates that nine out of ten artists who call themselves contemporary produce stunts rather than authentic art.
- He provocatively compares Damien Hirst and Maurizio Cattelan to influencer Chiara Ferragni, criticizing the spectacle and market success over substance.
- He cites Maurizio Calvesi's Venice Biennale on Art and Science as an example of true artistic vision.
Entities
Artists
- Ezio Pagano
- Renato Guttuso
- Emilio Vedova
- Marcel Duchamp
- Lucio Fontana
- Maurizio Cattelan
- Damien Hirst
- Chiara Ferragni
- Maurizio Calvesi
- Leonardo da Vinci
Institutions
- Segnonline
- Arte Povera
- Biennale di Venezia
- segnonline.it
Locations
- Venezia
- Italia