Cultural Barbarians
Is art dead or is its definition just evolving? In this compelling installment of Cultural Barbarians from the acclaimed VPRO Backlight series, we witness a group of modern artists grappling with this question and seeking creative expression that goes beyond painting on canvas or in language beyond language. Well-crafted sentences in the book.
As attention spans shrink and the gap between rich and poor widens, the ability of art to reflect our world is called into question. First-rate work is often viewed as an investment rather than a profound form of expression destined to be exhibited. The super-rich can pay tens of millions of dollars for a Picasso just to lock it up in a secluded steel vault. For the general public, the great works of art in history seem less relevant than ever to their everyday lives. Citizens of the world are generally discouraged from interacting with these works, or from providing the tools to discover personal meaning within them. Can art really take hold in a culture increasingly seduced by celebrity flashes, faux glamor looks and the next disposable trend?
Faced with this conundrum, a new generation of artists is trying different approaches. The architectural collective Assemble is just one example in the film. In 2015, the group of young artists won the prestigious Turner Prize for their scheme to transform homes in a deprived area of Liverpool. By moving from the hallowed halls of museum galleries to the spaces of everyday life, Assemble successfully challenges the purpose of art in the modern world.
Other subjects in the film, including author Alessandro Barico, philosopher Timothy Morton, and several leading visual artists, express the need to embrace the new digital age, reflect more positively on global ills such as climate change, and Efforts to advance the relevance of the arts work through amplified community engagement and activism.
Critics and others will continue to debate whether these efforts truly represent creative artistic expression. Regardless, Cultural Barbarians makes it clear that art is alive and that it still has the power to change the world.
Directed by: Alexander Oey
