Erik Verhagen critiques infantilist ethos in contemporary art

In an essay for art press's 40th anniversary, art historian Erik Verhagen argues that contemporary art has been overtaken by an 'infantilist ethos' that prioritizes easy, simple, and fast experiences over complexity. He traces this trend to conceptual art of the 1960s, which coincided with late capitalism's shift from products to services. While early conceptual artists like Marcel Broodthaers, Franz Erhard Walther, and Dan Graham critically engaged with this shift, their contemporary followers—such as Jeppe Hein, Jonathan Monk, Carsten Höller, and Loris Gréaud—merely recontextualize and retranspose earlier strategies without risk. Verhagen notes that 1960s artists faced resistance and isolation, unlike today's hyper-responsive institutions and market. He calls for a revaluation of neglected historical figures like William Anastasi and Piero Gilardi, and hopes future audiences will distinguish essential from accessory. The essay references Benjamin Barber's concept of 'infantilist ethos' and critiques Nicolas Bourriaud's 'relational aesthetics' for catering to an 'adulescent' audience. Verhagen teaches contemporary art history at the University of Valenciennes.