Overground: Surface and Visibility in Contemporary Culture

Christian Caliandro's essay 'Overground. Superficie e visibilità' on Artribune critiques contemporary art and society, arguing that meaningful cultural elements now emerge on the surface rather than remaining underground. He observes a spiritual impoverishment among artists and curators, who cling to dreams of fame despite disillusionment. Caliandro notes that tradition, though biological, is being uprooted by a mutation that fails to generate evolving cultural identity, leaving identities fragmented and static. He calls for integration, internal coherence, and a healthy relationship with context, rejecting the notion of a career as arid. The essay also reflects on Borromini's architecture in Rome, describing the neglected state of San Carlino and the Oratorio dei Filippini, where decay paradoxically enhances metaphysical messages. Caliandro, an art historian teaching at Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze and a member of Symbola Foundation's scientific committee, wrote this piece in 2016.