ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Art Must Become Increasingly Inclusive, Says Artribune Essay

opinion-review · 2026-04-27

In her essay for Artribune, Jessica Muller Castagliuolo contends that for contemporary art to maintain its significance, it must prioritize inclusivity and active participation. She cites Martha Nussbaum's perspective that art fosters genuine connections and critiques the trend of visitors capturing images of masterpieces, viewing this as a potential resurgence of art's communal function. An example of this evolution is Leandro Erlich's installation at Palazzo Reale in Milan. Additionally, she references Michelangelo Pistoletto's 2009 Venice Biennale performance, where he obliterated his mirror artworks, creating a static form reminiscent of photography. The essay also touches on René Girard's concept of mimetic desire and highlights that merely 7.7% of Italian museums offer tactile maps, urging art to engage marginalized communities and function as a unifying event.

Key facts

  • Essay by Jessica Muller Castagliuolo on Artribune argues art must be more inclusive.
  • References Martha Nussbaum's concept of art as authentic human connection.
  • Critiques museum visitors photographing masterpieces as appropriation.
  • Leandro Erlich's installation at Palazzo Reale in Milan allows visitors to photograph on inverted balconies.
  • Michelangelo Pistoletto's 2009 performance at Venice Biennale destroyed mirror paintings.
  • Burning of Pistoletto's 'Venere degli Stracci' in Naples by a homeless person.
  • Only 7.7% of Italian museums offer tactile maps; 9.5% offer raised relief drawings.
  • Only 10% of museums provide assistants for visitors with disabilities.

Entities

Artists

  • Martha Nussbaum
  • Leandro Erlich
  • Michelangelo Pistoletto
  • Lucio Fontana
  • René Girard
  • John Berger
  • Dziga Vertov
  • Jean Clair
  • Vincenzo Trione
  • Michele Cerruti But
  • Jessica Muller Castagliuolo

Institutions

  • Palazzo Reale (Milan)
  • Biennale di Venezia
  • Istat
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Milan
  • Italy
  • Venice
  • Naples

Sources