Caterina Mainardis Questions the Apollonian/Dionysian Framework and Defends Relational Art

In an essay published in August 2026 on Artribune, critic Caterina Mainardis confronts art critics who claim their frameworks are unbiased. She contends that the Apollonian/Dionysian divide cannot be disproven and cautions against revealing hidden agendas, which remain unprovable. Mainardis critiques the reliance on 'formal and conceptual efficacy' as a subjective measure and suggests a new criterion: the ability to effect genuine change in individuals, particularly in art therapy and community practices that are frequently overlooked by mainstream criticism. She offers three questions for assessing critical insights and cites Roberto Ago's teachings on relational art, featuring images from '1+1. L'arte relazionale' at Fondazione MAXXI. Mainardis calls for criticism to incorporate a variety of viewpoints and arguments.