Italian Art Figures Reflect on the 2010s: A Decade of Globalization, Moralizing Art, and the Rise of Social Practices
In a 2019 article by Artribune, nine prominent Italian cultural figures—Stefano Chiodi, Stefano Arienti, Franco La Cecla, Domenico Quaranta, Matteo Lucchetti, Silvia Giambrone, Nicola Lagioia, Leonardo Caffo, and Lorenzo Bruni—evaluate the art scene of the 2010s. Chiodi points out issues of moralism and a reluctance to take risks. Arienti acknowledges the wealth of global art but cautions against its uniformity. La Cecla notes the merging of art and anthropology, while Quaranta identifies trends such as populism and political art. Lucchetti highlights Ruangrupa's role in Documenta 15 as a sign of social involvement. Giambrone addresses the crisis surrounding iconic imagery. Lagioia proclaims the conclusion of postmodernism, advocating for a departure from anthropocentrism. Caffo stresses the importance of linguistic and genre experimentation, and Bruni remarks on artists embracing archaeological methods in light of political shifts.
Key facts
- Stefano Chiodi criticizes 2010s art for moralism, pedagogical posture, and lack of risk-taking.
- Stefano Arienti says art is a 'perfect mirror of power' and predicts Chinese will rival English.
- Franco La Cecla notes art-anthropology convergence but says Italy lags in adopting Alfred Gell.
- Domenico Quaranta lists populism, political art, techno-humanism, and post-Internet as enduring.
- Matteo Lucchetti cites Ruangrupa's Documenta 15 appointment as key for socially engaged art.
- Silvia Giambrone uses Lino Banfi as UNESCO commissioner to discuss crisis of iconic images.
- Nicola Lagioia declares end of postmodernism, cites Ferrante, Knausgård, and Anthropocene.
- Leonardo Caffo names Ed Atkins, Paloma Varga Weisz, Elena Mazzi, Luca De Leva as key artists.
- Lorenzo Bruni notes artists adopt archaeological practices and digital natives explore geometric abstraction.
- Article published on Artribune Magazine #49 in 2019.
Entities
Artists
- Stefano Arienti
- Silvia Giambrone
- Ed Atkins
- Paloma Varga Weisz
- Elena Mazzi
- Luca De Leva
- Ruangrupa
- Anselm Kiefer
- Damien Hirst
- Marilynne Robinson
- David Foster Wallace
- Michel Houellebecq
- Elena Ferrante
- Karl Ove Knausgård
- Walter Siti
- Jonathan Safran Foer
- Pablo Larraín
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Jared Diamond
- Masha Gessen
- Yuval Noah Harari
- Lino Banfi
Institutions
- Artribune
- Documenta 15
- UNESCO
- Rhizome
Locations
- Italy
- Kassel
- Olanda (Netherlands)
- Amazzonia (Amazon)