[spectre] Mocking the Arts Establishment? In Italy it can be an expensive ordeal.

[marc garrett]

Sorry for any cross posting...

Mocking the Arts Establishment? In Italy it can be an expensive ordeal.

Article by Roberta Buiani.
http://www.furtherfield.org/features/articles/mocking-arts-establishment-italy-it-can-be-expensive-ordeal

Roberta Buiani writes about the young artist 'Luca Lo Coco', who found 
himself at the center of an attack initiated by the director of Flash 
Art, Giancarlo Politi himself. Lo Coco critiqued the commercial artworld 
circus, for lacking authenticity, social values and artistic integrity. 
He created a pesky doppelgänger of the Flash Art website at 
www.ashartonline.com, replacing the original content with is own 
artwork. The site also existed as a platform for others to share their 
own critiques and observations concerning the arts establishment. This 
ended with Lo Coco having to close the site down after 6 months, as well 
as losing all of his home furniture when he had no money to pay for the 
hefty fine imposed on him by the courts.

This David and Goliath story shows us the big divide in the art world 
between those powerful within the arts establishment and those existing 
independently trying to find a platform and representation for their own 
creative voice. This article also touches on issues of whether these 
contemporary art world gate-keepers are worthy representatives of the 
arts, in view of their failure to reflect the bredth of the actual 
contemporary art scene.

"Politi’s exaggerated reaction appeared to become gradually an act of 
intimidation directed to the whole independent arts community rather 
than a personal affair between him and Lo Coco. [...] the perfect 
scapegoat, the sacrificial lamb that would serve to re-affirm loudly and 
ostensively the power of BIG ART, authority, hierarchy, and institutions 
against the younger, subversive, independent emerging arts." Buiani.



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