Why No Italian Artists at the Venice Biennale?
The piece contends that Italy's decline in the contemporary art scene is self-inflicted, resulting from a conscious choice to subordinate itself rather than a mere shortage of resources. It has adopted the notion that authenticity must originate externally, adhering to the dominant discursive frameworks. While cosmopolitanism is perceived as forward-thinking, it serves to neutralize diversity, leading to a preemptive uniformity. Institutions favor artworks that fit established theoretical frameworks, which diminishes the Venice Biennale's innovative potential. This path threatens to entrench Italy's marginality, suppressing alternative viewpoints. A shift is essential, promoting a new approach that values isolation and dissent against global norms to forge a distinct cultural direction, rather than relying on international consensus.
Key facts
- Italy is not a victim of marginalization but complicit in its own irrelevance in contemporary art.
- The inability to promote Italian art stems from a structural choice of subordination.
- Italian institutions have internalized that legitimacy must come from outside.
- Cosmopolitanism is a neutralizing device that assimilates into hegemonic codes.
- The Venice Biennale abdicates its generative and conflictual function.
- The Biennale operates as a clearinghouse for international cultural hegemony.
- Risk is replaced by compatibility; vision by conformity.
- A break is needed to elaborate an alternative paradigm without seeking global consensus.
Entities
Institutions
- Biennale di Venezia
- Artribune
Locations
- Italy
- Venezia
- Venice