Rethinking the exhibition format and its limitations
Christian Caliandro argues that the traditional exhibition format restricts art's potential by enforcing predictable behaviors and preventing genuine encounters with the Other. He contends that the exhibition space, as a programmed system, stifles the unpredictable processes that allow art to function meaningfully in contemporary conditions. Caliandro suggests that dismantling exhibition codes is necessary to transform artworks into platforms for relational construction. He cites Thomas Bernhard's 'The Loser' to illustrate the futility of intellectual production. The article is part of a series on 'arte sfrangiata' (frayed art) published on Artribune.
Key facts
- Christian Caliandro critiques the exhibition format as a closed system that limits relational opportunities.
- The exhibition is described as a historical object with a beginning and not destined to last forever.
- Caliandro argues that the exhibition space corresponds to a programmed system based on predictability.
- He advocates for dismantling codes that regulate art fruition to allow art to engage with reality.
- The article references Thomas Bernhard's 'The Loser' (Adelphi, 2022).
- The piece is part of a series on 'arte sfrangiata' (frayed art).
- Caliandro is a contemporary art historian teaching at Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze.
- The article was published on Artribune in May 2022.
Entities
Artists
- Christian Caliandro
Institutions
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze
- Artribune
- Castelvecchi Editore
- Symbola Fondazione per le Qualità italiane
Locations
- Firenze
- Italy