The Art Critic Must Not Collude with Artists

Pericle Guaglianone argues that the crisis in Italian art criticism stems not from a lack of proximity between critics and artists, but from an excess of it. He contends that the curator, a product of the critic-artist symbiosis, has come to dominate, marginalizing autonomous, evaluative criticism. Guaglianone calls for a revival of detached, pungent writing—exemplified by figures like Piero Scaruffi, Paolo Mereghetti, and Aldo Grasso—and warns against the dilution of critical judgment through social collusion. He cites historical precedents from Baudelaire to Pasolini and Carla Lonzi to underscore the need for parrhesia and explicit critique. The article, published on Artribune, urges a return to sharp, independent art writing.