Christian Caliandro's 'Fase Due' Column: On Tradition, Memory, and the Role of Art

Christian Caliandro, an art historian and professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, publishes the ninth installment of his 'Fase Due' column on Artribune, titled 'Il problema della tradizione' (The Problem of Tradition). The essay opens with a quote from Marvin Gaye's 'Anger' and reflects on the anxiety of recognition and the nature of art history. Caliandro argues that art history is not driven by individual recognition but by concrete ideas, mutual influences, and collective progress. He emphasizes the importance of embracing the unexpected ('l'imprevisto') as a core element of existence, contrasting it with the desire for predictability. Referencing Donna Haraway, he distinguishes 'trouble' from 'problem'—the former being an unsolvable tangle to immerse in. The text weaves in literary references: Emily Dickinson's poem about the past, Jack Kerouac's 'Maggie Cassidy', and mentions of science fiction authors Ballard and Dick. Caliandro discusses memory as a familiar, affective space that connects individual and collective imagination, citing works by Silvia Argiolas ('Maschera n. 7 – Maschera di una buffona', 2020) and Pamela Diamante ('Senza titolo', 2019, from the Flee Project collection). He critiques conditioning that prevents people from creating their own formats and traditions. The column is part of a series on Artribune, which also promotes newsletters: 'Incanti' (art market), 'Render' (urban regeneration), and 'PAX' (cultural tourism).