Paolo Maggis on Trusting Culture: Art, Individuality, and Society

Artist Paolo Maggis reflects on the role of art and culture in society, arguing against the instrumentalization of art for social or political ends. He contends that true art arises from individual expression and cannot be reduced to a tool for consensus or social engineering. Maggis criticizes the pressure on artists to prioritize social impact over personal vision, warning that such demands lead to homogenized, accommodating art that loses its transformative power. He calls for renewed trust in culture, economic support for artistic production, and a return to cultural discussion as the foundation of education and society. Maggis, born in Milan in 1978, studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, lives and works between Milan and Barcelona, and has exhibited in private galleries and public museums including Palazzo Forti. The text was published on Artribune in May 2020.