Christian Caliandro on Art's Immaturity and New Year's Resolutions for 2025

As 2025 approaches, Christian Caliandro, an art historian and professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, has released a critical essay on Artribune addressing contemporary art. He contends that many recent artworks adopt a preachy tone, instructing viewers on how to behave while artists themselves often fail to practice what they preach. Caliandro points out the disparity between the intellectual stances of artists and their detrimental behaviors, connecting this to Elon Musk's populist rhetoric that masks capitalist motives. He laments contemporary art's retreat into a fantastical realm, a view shared by writer Paolo Di Paolo regarding literature. Caliandro advocates for art to embrace responsibility and realism, referencing Alessandro Volpi's insights on Musk and Di Paolo's observations on publishing.