Opinion & reviews

Editorials, critical reviews, analyses, commentaries, and viewpoints on the contemporary art world.

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Visitor Experience at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum Highlights Dutch Masters and Conservation Efforts opinion-review
A traveler visited Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, which underwent a decade-long renovation in the early 2000s. The museum houses significant works by Dutch Golden Age artists including…
Italian Museums' Limited Autonomy Under Scrutiny opinion-review
The article argues that Italian museums granted 'attenuated autonomy' remain constrained because directors cannot hire permanent staff or manage personnel. Despite the 2014 reform…
Italian Culture Minister Sangiuliano Criticizes Free Museum Entry, Then Clarifies opinion-review
Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy's new Minister of Culture, stated on the TV program Porta a Porta that he is "absolutely against free museums," arguing that the policy "does not hold…
Italian Culture Sector Urges New Minister to Address Structural Crises opinion-review
Eight cultural experts from Italy have presented their proposals to Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Minister of Culture. Domenico Sturabotti from Fondazione Symbola highlights a…
Gennaro Sangiuliano Appointed Italian Culture Minister: Pros and Cons of a Technical Minister opinion-review
The appointment of Gennaro Sangiuliano as Italy's Minister of Culture has sparked ideological resistance within the cultural sector. Sangiuliano, a journalist by training with…
Brian Eno's 'FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE' and the Call for Art to Change Reality opinion-review
Christian Caliandro's article on Artribune critiques the Italian art world's bourgeois homogeneity and argues for art's power to effect real change, using Brian Eno's latest album…
Visitor Experience at Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague Highlights Vermeer, Rembrandt and Dutch Masters opinion-review
A traveler documented their visit to The Hague, Netherlands, focusing on the Mauritshuis museum's collection. The museum houses significant works including Johannes Vermeer's…
Artribune Pledges Constructive Criticism of Italy's New Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano opinion-review
In an editorial published on Artribune Magazine #69, editor Massimiliano Tonelli outlines a critical yet constructive approach toward the newly appointed Italian Minister of…
Meloni's Inaugural Speech: Culture as Economic Resource opinion-review
In her inaugural address to the Italian Chamber of Deputies on October 25, 2022, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni framed culture as an economic asset, stating that Italy embodies…
Martin Scorsese Condemns Cinema's Obsession with Profit opinion-review
Martin Scorsese has criticized contemporary cinema, particularly blockbusters and digital platforms, for prioritizing profit over artistic value. In an interview with BadTaste on…
Reflection on the Personal Significance of Parker Big Red Ballpoint Pens opinion-review
The author recounts their long-term attachment to Parker Big Red ballpoint pens, which were introduced in 1970 as a revival of a 1921 fountain pen design. These writing…
Italian Cultural Workers Face Precarious Conditions and Low Pay opinion-review
A report by Artribune reveals that cultural workers in Italy are severely underpaid and overworked, with wages as low as €4 per hour gross, denied holidays, and endless shifts.…
Danilo Miranda Criticizes Brazilian Government's Cultural Censorship During Pandemic opinion-review
Danilo Miranda argues that art and culture are fundamentally intertwined with democracy. He contends the Brazilian government censors artists by failing to provide adequate…
Italy's Culture Ministry Ignored in Far-Right Government Formation opinion-review
As Italy prepares for its most right-wing government since the 1940s, the Ministry of Culture has been conspicuously absent from coalition negotiations and media speculation.…
Art World Responds to Climate Crisis: Italian Voices on Urgent Change opinion-review
In the latest issue of Artribune Magazine (#68), Italian art experts engage in a dialogue about the environmental implications within the art sector. Philosopher Emanuele Coccia…
Editorial Calls for Democratic Art Amid Brazilian Political Crisis, Announces Multiple Exhibitions opinion-review
The editorial titled "Carta da Editora: pela liberdade" discusses Brazil's upcoming presidential runoff, announcing the "Seminário Cultura, Democracia e Reparação," scheduled for…
Joana Sousa Monteiro on Museums as Creative Catalysts for Citizenship opinion-review
In an interview for the Open Doors cycle at Brescia Musei, Joana Sousa Monteiro, director of the Museu de Lisboa, argues that museums must actively stimulate creativity to…
Cultural sustainability and territorial strategy in Italy opinion-review
The article argues that cultural projects require a redefinition of sustainability, as their effects often take longer to materialize than typical business ventures. Using the…
Tachyon Theory and the Paradox of Revolutionary Art opinion-review
In a philosophical essay published on Artribune, Marco Senaldi explores the concept of tachyons—hypothetical particles that travel faster than light—as a metaphor for contemporary…
LGBTQ+ Cartoon Icons: From Tinky Winky to Velma Dinkley opinion-review
This article examines the portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters in cartoons and comics, spurred by Velma Dinkley's revelation of her sexuality in the HBO Max episode 'Trick or Treat,…
Art Must Reckon with Reality, Argues Marcello Faletra opinion-review
In an essay published in Artribune Magazine #68, critic Marcello Faletra argues that contemporary art must abandon its negotiated status and become a dissident communal body.…
Tattoos as identity markers in liquid modernity opinion-review
A sociological analysis published on Artribune explores the proliferation of tattoos among 15-45 year-olds in Western societies as a response to identity loss in liquid modernity.…
Blonde: Marilyn Monroe's Fame, Identity, and Control Explored opinion-review
Andrew Dominik's film 'Blonde' (2022) uses a first-person perspective to immerse viewers in Norma-Marilyn's traumatic experience, challenging conventional narrative linearity. The…
Martin McDonagh's 'The Banshees of Inisherin' Explores Time, Guilt, and the Irish Civil War opinion-review
Martin McDonagh's film 'The Banshees of Inisherin,' presented in competition at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, is analyzed as a cryptic work that intertwines…
San Girolamo attribuito a Piero della Francesca: nuova ipotesi su Antonio del Pollaiolo opinion-review
Un dipinto raffigurante San Girolamo e un devoto, a lungo attribuito a Piero della Francesca, viene ora contestato. L'articolo di Massimo Giontella su Artribune sostiene che…
Federculture and Mi riconosci? protest Colosseum ticket tender for unfair labor contracts opinion-review
A European tender for the Colosseum Archaeological Park's ticketing services, issued on October 3 by Consip (the Ministry of Economy and Finance's procurement agency) and open…
Review of Wacom Intuos S Drawing Tablet for Digital Art Creation opinion-review
A review published on October 7, 2022, discusses the Wacom Intuos S drawing tablet. The author, who had not used a dedicated drawing tablet for several years, switched from using…
Italian cultural spending: ISTAT data reveals low household expenditure on arts opinion-review
An analysis of ISTAT data on Italian household spending shows that cultural consumption remains critically low. In 2021, the average monthly expenditure per family on cinema,…
Blonde: Andrew Dominik's Marilyn Monroe Film Sparks Controversy opinion-review
Andrew Dominik's film 'Blonde', based on Joyce Carol Oates' novel and presented at the Venice Film Festival, has generated significant controversy. The film, running 2 hours and…
Critical Review Examines Primitivism's Legacy in Three Recent Art History Publications opinion-review
Elizabeth Harney's critical review in ARTMargins analyzes how three recent scholarly volumes address primitivism's enduring influence on modern and contemporary art. Published on…
Fairs and Biennials as Obstacles to Art's True Potential opinion-review
Christian Caliandro argues that contemporary art's institutional system—fairs, biennials, major exhibitions—has become a rusty, jammed machine that prevents artworks from…
Is the cultural sector a bubble about to burst? opinion-review
The article critically examines the exponential growth of Italy's cultural and creative industries (ICC), warning that the sector risks becoming an unsustainable bubble. It argues…
Proposal for Italy's first national sustainability prize for museums opinion-review
Massimiliano Tonelli, editor of Artribune, proposes the creation of a national award for the most sustainable museum, cinema, and theater in Italy. The article criticizes Italian…
Criticism of Italy's oversized Biennale pavilion and Tosatti's failed intervention opinion-review
Pericle Guaglianone criticizes Gian Maria Tosatti's installation for the Italian Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, arguing that Tosatti's shift from horror-inflected church…
Personal Reflection on Seasonal Transitions and Artistic Experience at Botanical Garden opinion-review
In late October, an individual traveled to a botanical garden seeking inspiration from art and nature. During the visit, they observed Rodin's sculpture 'Eve,' interpreting the…
Sincerity vs. Performance in Contemporary Art opinion-review
Christian Caliandro reflects on a trend in contemporary culture where artists and writers prioritize persona over work, drawing on Gianluigi Simonetti's critique of the 2022…
documenta 15: Activism Over Art? A Critical Review opinion-review
Daniele Capra's review of documenta 15, curated by the Indonesian collective ruangrupa, criticizes the exhibition for prioritizing participatory processes over artistic quality.…
Air Jordan 1 as Contemporary Art: A Cultural Icon opinion-review
The article explores the idea that sneakers, particularly the Air Jordan 1, can be considered works of art. It reflects on the visual influences of artists born in the 1980s,…
Italian readers propose cultural priorities for new government opinion-review
Over 600 readers of Artribune responded to a survey on cultural priorities for Italy's next government, elected on September 25. Key issues include labor protections in the…
Federculture report exposes democratic paradox in Italian cultural policy opinion-review
A new publication titled 'Cultura è Futuro – Proposte di intervento per la prossima legislatura', promoted by Federculture, gathers input from numerous cultural sector…

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