Alfonso Leto argues painting persists as essential human attitude against technological dominance

In an opinion piece on Artribune, artist Alfonso Leto argues that painting endures as an essential human language despite centuries of conflict with iconoclasm, political repression, and now artificial intelligence. He traces struggles from Byzantine iconoclasm to Counter-Reformation, Russian Revolution, and Islamic aniconism, asserting that none have succeeded in eliminating painting. Leto introduces the concept of 'agnostic painters' who adopt a non-fideistic attitude toward art, avoiding competition with technologically advanced media. These painters, he claims, function as 'predator-scavengers' in the contemporary creative ecosystem, transforming present-day thoughts into conceptual nourishment. He contrasts this with artists who maintain a faith-based relationship with art, which he considers obsolete. Leto references his own 1990s 'manifesto of miscreant artists' and cites Luigi Presicce's notion of 'non-conformist' artists. The piece is part of a series on the relevance of painting in Italy, with previous contributions by Filippo La Vaccara and gallerist Paola Capata.