Christian Caliandro: The Vanishing of Dissent in Contemporary Art

In a critical essay on Artribune, art historian Christian Caliandro argues that contemporary art has lost its capacity for genuine dissent. He observes that wealthy elites have, over the past fifty years, molded artists in their own image, eliminating the rebellious and unruly figures of earlier eras. Caliandro contends that the concept of participation in art has been reduced to following the artist's instructions, with viewers merely obeying predetermined rules—a metaphor for society's obsession with control and its discomfort with individual freedom. He laments the disappearance of debate and dissent, noting that today it is impossible to express contrary opinions without being deemed rude or socially inept. The root cause, he suggests, is a deep-seated aversion to the unexpected, to anything that disrupts programmed sequences. Caliandro proposes that the true challenge is to create spaces for authentic, non-decorative dissent, where the language of power does not prevail. He advocates for artworks that blend into the fabric of reality rather than being exhibited for passive spectatorship. The essay was published on September 4, 2022, and reflects on the state of contemporary culture.