Artist Emanuela Barilozzi Caruso sends manifesto-letter instead of artworks to protest unpaid labor

Artist Emanuela Barilozzi Caruso, invited to the collective exhibition SUMA in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto (ME) on August 19-20, 2022, by Collettivo Flock, refused to send her selected works after learning she would have to cover shipping, travel, and installation costs for a nine-hour show. Instead, she sent a manifesto-letter and a poster titled "In lotta contro l'apocalisse culturale" (Fighting the Cultural Apocalypse), which were not exhibited. The letter criticizes the systemic exploitation of artists who are expected to work for free out of passion, citing a Guardian article on the art world's working class. Caruso argues that this model creates inequality between a few financially supported artists and the many who labor unpaid. Christian Caliandro, writing on Artribune, notes that the letter and poster themselves constitute an artwork reacting to the situation, raising questions about what defines an artwork. The incident highlights ongoing debates about artist fees, no-profit organizations' responsibilities, and the sustainability of unpaid labor in the art system.