Christian Caliandro argues contemporary art display systems enforce social control

In a critical essay published on Artribune, Christian Caliandro draws on Jerzy Grotowski's concept of 'poor theatre' to argue that contemporary art's display apparatus functions as a tool of control. He contends that the rigid dispositif of exhibitions—lighting, labels, spatial arrangement—dictates how viewers should think and feel, reducing artworks to mere objects and reinforcing elite hierarchies. Caliandro contrasts this with Grotowski's ideal of a theatre stripped of artifice, where the actor's naked body and impulse create authentic transformation. He coins the term 'arte fighetta' (posh art) to describe artists who willingly comply with this system, producing entertainment that confirms existing social norms rather than challenging them. The essay invokes Philip K. Dick's writings on falsification and coercion, suggesting that lying in art is a voluntary act that separates the artist from reality. Caliandro calls for a return to art that intervenes in reality, breaks taboos, and offers genuine provocation. The piece is part of a series on contemporary art's irrelevance and fear of rebellion.