ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Artworld's Object-Obsessed Turn: From Leckey's Tour to Regional Shows

opinion-review · 2026-04-20

In contemporary art, there is a growing trend that regards artifacts as independent entities, challenging traditional boundaries. Mark Leckey's exhibition, 'The Universal Addressability of Dumb Things,' contrasts medieval reliquaries with bionic prosthetics, introducing the concept of 'techno-animism.' At the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, 'Masterpieces: Art and East Anglia' showcases pre-Roman artifacts alongside fine art, highlighting themes of otherness. Leckey's exhibition also appeared at the De La Warr Pavilion. Massimiliano Gioni's 2013 Venice Biennale included outsider artists with established professionals, exploring blurred distinctions and themes of 'dreams, hallucinations, and visions.' Brian Dillon's 'Curiosity' at Turner Contemporary presented a neo-wunderkammer perspective. This trend reflects a waning faith in human agency, with passive subjects and indistinct art forms. The article, released in November 2013, connects this to concerns regarding art's influence.

Key facts

  • Mark Leckey's touring exhibition 'The Universal Addressability of Dumb Things' contrasts premodern artifacts with modern technology.
  • The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norwich hosted 'Masterpieces: Art and East Anglia,' featuring artifacts from pre-Roman Britain.
  • Massimiliano Gioni's 2013 Venice Biennale included outsider artists and amateurs, blurring lines between professionals and non-professionals.
  • Brian Dillon's show 'Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of Knowing' was at Margate's Turner Contemporary.
  • Philosophical influences include object-oriented ontology and speculative realism.
  • The trend treats artifacts as autonomous, magical entities, diminishing distinctions between art and ethnography.
  • The article was published in November 2013.
  • The De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea presented part of Leckey's exhibition.

Entities

Artists

  • Mark Leckey
  • Massimiliano Gioni
  • Brian Dillon

Institutions

  • Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
  • De La Warr Pavilion
  • Venice Biennale
  • Turner Contemporary
  • Zero

Locations

  • Norwich
  • England
  • Bexhill on Sea
  • Margate
  • Venice
  • Italy
  • East Anglia

Sources