Is art authoritarian?

Is fine art art “incurably aristocratic” (said Kenneth Clark) and authoritarian? This article explores the question of democracy in the arts and the role of institutions in embodying democracy where artists may not. It posits that works of art are the least democratic objects of all and that art is about an individual vision imposed on the world — not majority consensus.

The Arisen do believe in individuality. We also agree that arts platforms, such as museums, should serve democracy where individual artists do not. But we don't agree that individuality is equivalent to individualism and that democracy can't be an element of artistic practice. To our knowledge, established Western museums have not embodied democracy, and we have reason to doubt they ever will.

We need a third way that is neither pure consensus nor individualism. We need new organizations to rise, experimenting with new business models and a recognition of the colonial history upon which most modern museums were built.