Opinion & reviews

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

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Lewis Hodder critiques T.W. Adorno's aesthetic theory in artcritical analysis opinion-review
Lewis Hodder examines T.W. Adorno's aesthetic philosophy in a critical analysis published on August 6, 2019. The piece appears on artcritical.com, a platform powered by WordPress.…
Il Re Leone live action: tecnologia vs emozione nella recensione di Artribune opinion-review
Il live action de Il Re Leone, diretto da Jon Favreau e distribuito da Disney, arriva al cinema dal 21 agosto 2019. Il film è descritto come un'esperienza visiva impressionante…
Street Art Removal by Mayors: Legal and Ethical Questions opinion-review
Recent incidents in Italy highlight the friction between local governance and the freedom of expression in street art. In Ostia, the city council partially obscured a mural by…
Italian Ministry Blocks McDonald's Near Baths of Caracalla Amidst Existing Food Trucks opinion-review
The Italian Ministry of Culture has blocked a McDonald's restaurant planned 800 meters from the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, sparking accusations of hypocrisy. The project,…
Improper installation of Nicola Carrino's sculpture sparks controversy in Bari opinion-review
The installation of Nicola Carrino's Ellissi 1/83 at the Pinacoteca Metropolitana di Bari has sparked controversy. The sculpture was placed on a 30 cm high pedestal, altering its…
Christian Caliandro's 'Trappole dell’acting' Explores Neovernacular and Performative Traps in Contemporary Life opinion-review
Christian Caliandro, an art historian and professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, publishes a critical essay on Artribune titled 'Trappole dell’acting. Il mondo oggi'…
Marcello Frixione on Philosophy and Poetry: Pragmatic Mechanisms in Poetic Language opinion-review
In an interview, philosopher and poet Marcello Frixione (born 1960), who teaches Logic and Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences at the University of Genoa, discusses the relationship…
Elisabetta Franchi accused of plagiarizing Alighiero Boetti's textile works opinion-review
Agata Boetti, daughter of artist Alighiero Boetti, publicly accused fashion designer Elisabetta Franchi of unauthorized use of her father's name and artistic style in a collection…
Architects' Hypocrisy: Flying High While Preaching Sustainability opinion-review
The article critiques the ecological contradictions of high-profile architects who advocate for sustainability while maintaining carbon-intensive lifestyles. It highlights that…
Les Chemins du Sud: A Flawed Localist Thesis at Mrac Occitanie opinion-review
The summer exhibition 'Les Chemins du Sud, une théorie du mineur' at the Musée régional d’art contemporain Occitanie in Sérignan (June 23 to November 3, 2019) attempts to critique…
Renato Barilli on Marisa Merz's delicate art and her partnership with Mario Merz opinion-review
Renato Barilli reflects on Marisa Merz, the only woman among the Arte Povera group, and her collaborative relationship with her husband Mario Merz. Mario Merz used Fibonacci…
Regional Autonomy and Cultural Heritage: A Debate on Centralized vs. Local Control opinion-review
Gian Antonio Stella argues for centralized management of cultural heritage and landscape protection in Italy, citing examples where regional autonomy has led to questionable…
Armando Brasini: The 'Trombone' of Italian Architecture Reconsidered opinion-review
Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi re-evaluates Armando Brasini (died February 1965), an Italian architect often dismissed as a 'trombone' (windbag) of architecture. Despite his…
Ludovico Pratesi ricorda Marisa Merz e il suo studio milanese opinion-review
Ludovico Pratesi shared his memories of visiting Marisa Merz's studio in Milan around the 2000s, following the passing of her husband Mario Merz. The apartment was a complex space…
Italian Artists Reject the System: A New Moral and Transformative Art opinion-review
Christian Caliandro examines a trend among Italian artists aged 20 to 50 who are turning away from the traditional art establishment. Once overlooked, these artists aim to unveil…
Italy's Global Rankings: A Reality Check for Culture and Economy opinion-review
An opinion piece on Artribune argues that Italy's perceived cultural and economic distinctiveness is not reflected in global rankings. No Italian company or brand appears in the…
Exchange on Soros Center for Contemporary Art's 1990s Eastern European Network and Exhibition 'The Influencing Machine' opinion-review
In an email exchange, curator Aaron Moulton and media theorist Geert Lovink discuss the Soros Center for Contemporary Art (SCCA) network, which functioned in twenty Eastern…
Christian Caliandro's 'Trappole dell’acting (VIII)' Reflects on Cultural Worth and Urban Regeneration opinion-review
In the eighth installment of his series 'Trappole dell’acting', art historian Christian Caliandro (born 1979) offers a personal manifesto on what makes life worth living, listing…
John Neumeier's Hamburg Ballett at Ravenna Festival: A Critique of Excess opinion-review
At the Ravenna Festival, John Neumeier's Hamburg Ballett performed a program including Beethoven Fragments (from his 2018 Beethoven Project), Birthday Dances (1990) to Leonard…
Franco Albini: The 'Bad' Architect of Italian Modernism opinion-review
Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi profiles Franco Albini, arguing that his 'cattiveria' (toughness) was key to his architectural genius. The article explores Albini's dual influences: the…
Italian League Urged to Block Bonisoli's Museum Reform opinion-review
Massimiliano Tonelli, writing for Artribune, calls on the League party to oppose a reform by Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli that would strip autonomy from Italy's major state…
Biennale di Venezia and Legoland: A Capitalist Festival opinion-review
Luca Arnaudo compares the Venice Biennale to Legoland, arguing both are manifestations of capitalist consumption and controlled festivity. He notes similarities between the Kuka…
Cultural Sector Urged to Embrace Economic Paradigm Shift opinion-review
Irene Sanesi argues that cultural production is a significant economic driver, citing the extensive workforce behind film credits. She criticizes the Italian cultural sector's…
Douglas Coupland: TripAdvisor reviews are today's best literature opinion-review
Douglas Coupland, the American novelist and visual artist known for Generation X and JPod, argues in a video interview for the Louisiana Museum of Copenhagen's web TV that the…
Christian Caliandro's 'Trappole dell'acting' Critiques Contemporary Art opinion-review
Christian Caliandro, an art historian affiliated with the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, has released 'Trappole dell'acting' on Artribune. In its sixth chapter, 'Trappole…
Secondary ticketing burocrazia: un costo per la società opinion-review
Stefano Monti critica l'approccio burocratico alla lotta contro il secondary ticketing in Italia, sostenendo che le nuove norme penalizzano i cittadini onesti anziché i…
Sabrina Sedlmayer critiques Dunker's theory on Brazilian Tosco and gambiarra in art opinion-review
Sabrina Sedlmayer has responded to Christian Dunker's article in ARTE!Brasileiros, challenging his claim that gambiarra is the defining technique of Brazilian Tosco. She argues…
Ladj Ly's Les Misérables: Banlieue Violence and Identity in Contemporary France opinion-review
Ladj Ly's debut feature film "Les Misérables" premiered at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival, drawing comparisons to Mathieu Kassovitz's "La Haine" (1995), which won Best Director at…
Ettore Sottsass: ribelle o creatore di mitologie estetiche? opinion-review
Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi discute la figura controversa di Ettore Sottsass, un designer italiano nato nel 1917 e deceduto nel 2007. È noto per aver creato la macchina da scrivere…
Likeability as the Antithesis of Art: Christian Caliandro's Critique opinion-review
In a 2019 article on Artribune, art historian Christian Caliandro argues that likeability is fundamentally opposed to art and cultural experimentation. Drawing on a 2004 quote by…
Marco Senaldi on the Persistence of the Sublime in Contemporary Art and Cinema opinion-review
In an editorial for Artribune, Marco Senaldi examines the enduring presence of the sublime in contemporary art, architecture, and cinema. He references Massimo Carboni's 1993 book…
Joachim Blüher Reflects on 17 Years Leading the German Academy in Rome opinion-review
After 17 years as the director of the German Academy at Villa Massimo, Joachim Blüher reflects on his leadership, identifying four key achievements: the exhibition series…
Roxy in the Box: artista senza rete, tra coraggio e precarietà opinion-review
L'artista Roxy in the Box, intervistata da Santa Nastro su Artribune, racconta la scelta di lasciare un lavoro stabile per dedicarsi completamente all'arte, nonostante l'assenza…
Tommy Mintz and Kaveri Raina explore motion and form in 2019 New York exhibitions opinion-review
Photographer Tommy Mintz and painter Kaveri Raina presented concurrent solo exhibitions in New York during spring 2019, exploring themes of motion, fragmentation, and cultural…
Review of Mission Workshop's Vandal Expandable Backpack Features and Performance opinion-review
A review examines the Vandal expandable backpack from Mission Workshop, highlighting its design and functionality. The backpack offers adjustable capacity ranging from 1,800 to…
Postwar Exhibitions Reveal Tensions Between Modernism and World Art Concepts opinion-review
From the 1950s to the early 1970s, exhibitions showcased the tensions between the European narrative of modernism and the wider notion of World Art. Organizers intentionally kept…
Review of Postwar Exhibition at Haus der Kunst Analyzes Global Modernism opinion-review
A 2019 review examines the 2016-17 exhibition Postwar: Art between the Pacific and the Atlantic, 1945–1965 at Munich's Haus der Kunst. Curated by Okwui Enwezor, Katy Siegel, and…
How Do Italian Artists Make a Living? opinion-review
An investigation into the economic realities of Italian artists reveals a gap between romanticized myths and harsh facts. Marinella Senatore notes that Italy lacks grants and…
Jim Jarmusch, Gaspar Noé, and Beautiful Boy: Weekend Film Releases Reviewed opinion-review
Three distinct films are recommended for the weekend: Jim Jarmusch's zombie comedy "The Dead Don't Die," the addiction drama "Beautiful Boy" starring Steve Carell and Timothée…
Street Art Legal Protection: A Call for Italian Legislation opinion-review
Giovanni Maria Riccio, a professor of comparative law at the University of Salerno, argues for a new Italian law to protect street art. He notes that current legal categories…

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