Artists as Prometheus: The Need for New Heroes of Thought

In a reflective essay, Mariantonietta Firmani argues that artists must act as Promethean figures, stealing fire from the gods to give to humanity, especially in times of crisis. She critiques contemporary society's fragmentation, consumerism, and the loss of shared values, drawing on thinkers like Lewis Mumford, Karl Marx, Luc Boltanski, and Karl Popper. Firmani contrasts medieval borghi, built on communal virtues, with today's isolated individuals. She invokes Nietzsche's view of art as will to power and Maffesoli's idea of art as universal genius. The essay references Achille Bonito Oliva's 2010 talk on art as rupture and entropy, and Jan Fabre's 2008 interview on stealing fire. Firmani calls for new heroes of thought—architects, philosophers, entrepreneurs, artists, politicians, economists—to forge responsible synergies respecting the individual, collectivity, and nature. The piece is part of a series on artists and coronavirus on Artribune.