Likeability as the Antithesis of Art: Christian Caliandro's Critique

In a 2019 article on Artribune, art historian Christian Caliandro argues that likeability is fundamentally opposed to art and cultural experimentation. Drawing on a 2004 quote by Gianni Celati, who lamented that advertising has replaced the human soul and literature is mute, Caliandro contends that likeability forces individuals to promote themselves rather than their content. Under this regime, the artwork itself disappears, as likeability creates an environment hostile to truth and genuine artistic production. He cites the HBO series Chernobyl to illustrate how lies accumulate until truth explodes. As an antidote, Caliandro proposes an art that is open to the unexpected, rooted in humble relationship-building, and immersed in daily life outside institutional confines—an art that thrives on community and collective processes, opposing likeability's structural reliance on falsehood. He references a line from Paolo Sorrentino's film Il Divo to underscore the tension between truth and communal living. The article is part of a series titled 'Trappole dell’acting' and includes references to works by Carl D’Alvia (Visitor, American Academy in Rome, 2019) and Salvo (Senza titolo, 1983).