Roberto Ago's Critique of Relational Art at MAXXI

Roberto Ago's critical review of the exhibition '1:1. L'Arte Relazionale' at MAXXI in Rome, curated by Nicolas Bourriaud, argues that relational art suffers from three fundamental flaws: confusing authorial intent with artistic outcome, underestimating the ego-driven and appropriative nature of relational practices, and conflating art with life. Ago contends that the exhibition reveals the mediocrity of most works, which rely on weak documentation and fail to engage viewers beyond superficial participation. He critiques specific works by Pierre Huyghe, Braco Dimitrijevic, Douglas Gordon, Alicia Framis, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Maurizio Cattelan, Vanessa Beecroft, Maria Lai, Santiago Sierra, Ian Wilson, Christian Jankowski, Dominique Gonzales-Foerster, OPAVIVARÁ!, Jens Haaning, Cesare Pietroiusti, and Monica Bonvicini, dismissing them as puerile, narcissistic, or aesthetically deficient. The review is part of Ago's 'Lezioni di critica' series and focuses on the first two accusations, with a third installment to follow.