Has art turned into nothing more than a market, where only museums’ visitors numbers count, or the stardom of an artist such as Ai Weiwei? A new generation of artists is fighting this trend and creating explicitly activist art connected to a changing world.

A sculpture of a kneeling Hitler was recently sold for 17 million dollars. The British artist Isaac Julien had the works of Karl Marx read out loud at the last edition of the Venice Biennale, while private yachts were mooring at the quay for the opening, and with Julien himself being sponsored by Rolls Royce. Cultural pessimists announce the ‘end of art’: it is now ruled by money, celebrity, design and digital mass culture.

But the Italian actor Alessandro Baricco, the collective “Assemble Studios” (eighteen young architects and designers who decided to improve houses in a working-class area of Liverpool without seeking a profit and thus won the prestigious Turner Prize), visual artist Femke Herregraven and Artist Renzo Martens don’t see it that way. Could it be we are only adapting our cultural experience? Which should inspire optimism. In order for art to continue to be relevant, it should connect to the social reality around us and revive itself through fresh commitment. Also with: Mark Nash & Isaac Julien (visual artists), Anthony Meacock and Lewis Jones (architects art collective Assemble) and Timothy Morton (philosopher).

This programme was made possible with the support of the Dutch Mediafund.

Originally broadcasted by VPRO in 2016.
© VPRO Backlight October 2016

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Credits:
Research: William de Bruijn
Director of photography: Hans Fels, Pim Hawinkels
Sound: Ednah Bonareri, Sander den Broeder
Editor: Michiel Hazebroek
Kenya producers: Alexander Valeton, Kennedy Odhiambo
Web editor: Jasper Koning
Producer: Jeroen Beumer
Commissioning editors: Marije Meerman, Doke Romeijn
Archive: Picha Mtaani, Euronews
Thanks to: Selfmade Films, Jin Ho Verdonschot
English, French and Spanish subtitles: Ericsson.
French and Spanish subtitles are co-funded by European Union.

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