Carmelania Bracco's Manifesto Against Artistic Complacency
In a passionate essay published on Artribune in October 2019, artist and writer Carmelania Bracco (b. 1997) launches a fierce critique of the contemporary art world, accusing it of being dominated by empty, self-important works propped up by nepotism and social media vanity. She calls for an end to passive agreement with mediocre art that fails to speak to the present, urging artists and audiences to reject silence, conformity, and the pursuit of approval. Bracco argues that true art is a subterranean force akin to water—transparent, impetuous, and capable of inundating and fertilizing people. The text, illustrated with a photo from Museo di Capodimonte in Naples (July 2019), serves as a manifesto for authenticity and resistance against the 'accidia' (sloth) of the art establishment. Bracco, a graduate of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Foggia (2018) with a thesis on postmodernism, currently studying in the Biennio di Decorazione Arte Ambientale, positions herself as a critical voice of her generation.
Key facts
- Carmelania Bracco published a critical essay on Artribune in October 2019.
- Bracco was born in 1997 and graduated in 2018 from Accademia di Belle Arti di Foggia.
- Her thesis was on postmodernism.
- She is currently studying in the Biennio di Decorazione Arte Ambientale.
- The essay criticizes nepotism and mediocrity in contemporary art.
- She calls for rejecting art that is merely photogenic for social media.
- The article includes a photo taken at Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, July 2019.
- Bracco uses the metaphor of water to describe authentic art.
Entities
Artists
- Carmelania Bracco
Institutions
- Artribune
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Foggia
- Museo di Capodimonte
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Foggia