Christian Caliandro on 21st-century art: collective authorship and liminality

In an article on Artribune, art historian Christian Caliandro argues that contemporary masterpieces function as liminal, intersectional systems that suggest rather than declare. He contends that the Romantic notion of singular authorship is outdated, advocating for truly collaborative works where writers, urbanists, filmmakers, craftspeople, entrepreneurs, citizens, and politicians co-create on equal footing. Caliandro cites Vincent van Gogh's 1888 letters to Émile Bernard, in which van Gogh envisioned group creations surpassing individual capacity, comparing artistic transformation to a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. The article appears in Artribune Magazine #31 and is also promoted via the publication's WhatsApp channel and daily newsletter 'Lettera'. Caliandro teaches contemporary art history at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze and serves on the scientific committee of Symbola Foundation for Italian Qualities.