Christian Caliandro's reflections on impermanence and resistance in art
Christian Caliandro, an art historian and professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, publishes a poetic and critical essay on the condition of living and creating in impermanence. He advocates for an art that resists institutionalization, embraces precariousness, and operates outside the performance-driven art world. Caliandro draws on references to artists like Max Ernst and James Rosenquist, and quotes writer George Saunders on working inefficiently. He critiques museums as 'cemeterial and concentrationary' spaces, citing Giorgio Manganelli, and calls for focusing on artists who build alternative modes of existence. The essay also touches on personal memories, such as watching 'Beautiful' and receiving a telescope as a child.
Key facts
- Christian Caliandro is a contemporary art historian and professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze.
- The essay discusses the concept of 'essere-presenti-scomparendo' (being-present-disappearing).
- Caliandro references Max Ernst's painting 'Il bacio' (1927) and James Rosenquist's 'Isotope' (1979).
- He quotes George Saunders on working inefficiently with defective tools.
- Caliandro cites Giorgio Manganelli's description of the museum as a 'cemeterial and concentrationary' place.
- The essay includes a personal memory of watching 'Beautiful' and receiving a telescope in the 1980s.
- Caliandro is a member of the scientific committee of Symbola Fondazione per le Qualità italiane.
- The article was published on Artribune in January 2018.
Entities
Artists
- Christian Caliandro
- Max Ernst
- James Rosenquist
- George Saunders
- Giorgio Manganelli
Institutions
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze
- Symbola Fondazione per le Qualità italiane
- Artribune
Locations
- Firenze
- Italy